Saint-Étienne cruise past Grenoble with four-goal demolition
Saint-Étienne made a statement in Ligue 2 with a comprehensive 4:0 victory over Grenoble at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. The hosts dominated from the opening whistle, converting early pressure into a commanding lead before the break. It was a blitzkrieg start for the home side. A. Csongvai broke the deadlock in the thirteenth minute, and T. Ballo doubled the lead just six minutes later. I. Cardona then came off the bench to score twice in quick succession, finishing the first half 3:0.Cardona's brace came in the closing stages of the half, with goals in the forty-fifth and forty-fifth-plus-three minutes. The momentum never let up for Saint-Étienne, who pinned their opponents back with relentless attacking play. By then, the visitors were shell-shocked and had little to offer at the other end.
The statistics tell the story of a one-sided encounter. Saint-Étienne enjoyed 66 per cent possession and registered ten shots on target compared to Grenoble's zero. The visitors managed only one shot on target all game, while their goalkeeper made six saves from attempts that rarely tested him.It was a performance that will make life awkward for the opposition in the coming weeks. Saint-Étienne played with a freedom that Grenoble could not match, turning to the kids in attack and letting the game flow. Things came to a head when Z. Davitashvili added a fourth goal in the eighty-second minute, putting the game to bed early.
The result extends Saint-Étienne's perfect start to the season. They sit top of the table with four wins from four matches, accumulating twelve points. Grenoble, meanwhile, languish in thirteenth place with just four points from four games.The old head settled them down when the pressure mounted, keeping a clean sheet throughout the contest. Saint-Étienne are unbeaten in five, and this performance suggests the table goes out of the window in these games. The visitors will need to regroup quickly if they want to climb away from the bottom half.