Saint-Étienne's Davitashvili Strike Secures Crucial Win in Promotion Chase
AS Saint-Étienne secured a vital 2-1 victory over Dunkerque on Sunday, keeping the pressure on Ligue 2 leaders Troyes in a tense promotion race. The win at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, played against the backdrop of ongoing threats of dissolution for the club's supporter groups, saw Les Verts close the gap on the league leaders to a single point.
The home side took the lead in the 22nd minute through Lucas Stassin, who finished a precise cross from Augustine Boakye. The visitors from Dunkerque, however, responded almost instantly, with Thomas Robinet converting a penalty just four minutes later after a foul by Boakye, who was penalised for a foul on Morgan Bokele in the area.
The match remained finely balanced until the 66th minute, when Georgian winger Zuriko Davitashvili, a 23-year-old winger on loan from Bordeaux, proved the match-winner. Collecting the ball on the left, he cut inside and unleashed a powerful, low drive that beat Dunkerque's in-form goalkeeper, Mathys Niflore, to secure all three points for the hosts. The result sees Saint-Étienne solidify their hold on second place, while Dunkerque remain 10th, level on points with Guingamp.
The victory is a significant boost for manager Philippe Montanier's side, who have now won their last three league matches. The win was particularly crucial after league leaders Troyes could only manage a draw, allowing Les Verts to close the gap at the top of the table to just one point with four games remaining in the season. Dunkerque, who put up a resilient fight and saw Niflore make several key saves, remain in a relatively safe mid-table position despite the defeat.
The result sets up a thrilling climax to the Ligue 2 season, with Saint-Étienne firmly in the race for the sole automatic promotion spot. The result also highlights the growing influence of Davitashvili, whose decisive goal underscores his importance to the team's attacking play. With the pressure building at the top of the table, Saint-Étienne's victory ensures the promotion race will go down to the final weeks of the season.
