Saint-Etienne suffered a heavy 0-3 defeat at home to Troyes in Ligue 2 action on Saturday, April 26, 2026, marking a disappointing 32nd matchday performance for Les Verts. The loss leaves Saint-Etienne in third place in the league standings as Troyes secured promotion to Ligue 1 with the convincing victory.
Gautier Larsonneur, Saint-Etienne’s goalkeeper, endured a difficult evening as he conceded three goals against Troyes. The French shot-stopper was beaten by a precise strike from Ifnaoui in the 53rd minute to open the scoring, followed by a long-range effort from Bentayeb that saw Larsonneur appear to lose his bearings in the 89th minute before the final goal sealed the comprehensive away win for the visitors.
The match report from Le Dauphiné Libéré highlighted Larsonneur’s struggles, noting he faced four shots on target and conceded three times. Irvin Cardona also received criticism for inconsistent performance, failing to make a significant impact in Saint-Etienne’s attacking efforts throughout the contest.
Troyes’ victory confirmed their return to Ligue 1 after spending time in the second tier, validating their impressive campaign this season. The away win at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard represented a significant milestone for the ESTAC squad, who have overcome considerable challenges to reach this point.
With this result, Saint-Etienne’s hopes for automatic promotion face increased pressure as they maintain third place in the Ligue 2 table. The team will need to regroup quickly as they look ahead to upcoming fixtures in their pursuit of a return to France’s top flight.
The defeat marks a setback for Saint-Etienne’s season ambitions, particularly after showing promise earlier in the campaign. Larsonneur, who joined the club permanently from Brest in January 2023 for a fee of €1.6 million, will aim to bounce back from this performance as Saint-Etienne continues its Ligue 2 campaign.
As the league enters its final stages, both clubs face contrasting trajectories: Troyes celebrating promotion while Saint-Etienne must address defensive vulnerabilities if they hope to secure one of the remaining promotion spots through the playoffs.
What’s next for Saint-Etienne? The team will look to rebound in their upcoming Ligue 2 fixture as they aim to maintain pressure on the automatic promotion places and prepare for a potential playoff push toward Ligue 1 return.
Share your thoughts on Saint-Etienne’s performance against Troyes and what the club needs to do to turn their season around.
