A truly goalless affair unfolded in the first leg of the Ligue 1 promotion playoff. AS Saint-Étienne, who finished third in Ligue 2 this season, and OGC Nice, the 16th-placed team from Ligue 1, played to a 0-0 draw at the iconic Geoffroy-Guichard stadium, leaving their top-flight aspirations hanging in the balance.

The majority of the evening’s excitement was generated in the stands, where the fervent Saint-Étienne faithful, hoping to witness their beloved ‘Verts’ return to the elite division, created an electric atmosphere. Unfortunately, the on-field action failed to match the intensity of the crowd. The match saw a mere 11 shots attempted in total, with neither team managing to register a single effort on target throughout the ninety minutes, despite promising moments from players like Clauss (25th minute), Davitashvili (58th minute), and Boakye (60th minute).

This stalemate ultimately serves neither side particularly well. Saint-Étienne, in particular, will lament their inability to leverage the formidable support of their home crowd to establish a crucial mental advantage over a somewhat vulnerable Nice squad. The visitors arrived having suffered a recent defeat in the French Cup final and were further hampered early on by the departure of Bouaddi, who sustained a head injury, preventing them from offering more attacking threat.

Consequently, the decisive second leg will take place this Friday, May 29th, at the Allianz Riviera. The drama is set to continue right down to the wire, as football fans eagerly await to discover whether Saint-Étienne will join Troyes and Le Mans in securing direct promotion to Ligue 1, or if Nice will successfully defend their place among France’s top clubs.