AS Saint-Étienne forward Irvin Cardona was substituted in the 52nd minute of a 1–0 Ligue 2 victory away to the Red Star after experiencing physical fatigue, head coach Ian Cathro said. The forward had opened the scoring at the 13th minute before making way for Zuriko Davitashvili early in the second half.
Early Goal and Premature Exit at the Red Star
Cardona put the visitors ahead early during the ninth-round fixture, latching onto a through ball from Jakob Breum before clipping a finish past goalkeeper Poussin. The 13th-minute strike marked the forward’s fifth goal of the current Ligue 2 campaign. Yet despite the decisive contribution, his night ended shortly after the interval. Nine minutes into the second half, Cathro summoned Davitashvili from the bench to replace the opening goalscorer.
The sudden substitution drew immediate attention given Cardona’s importance to the squad and the proximity of the upcoming league match. Cathro addressed the decision directly after the final whistle, attributing the change to physical depletion rather than a specific injury. The manager noted that several members of the squad have struggled to maintain full physical exertion following the recent international break.
Managing Fatigue After the International Break
Cathro admitted that the coaching staff perhaps waited slightly too long to withdraw the forward. C’est qu’il commençait à ressentir un peu de fatigue. On aurait peut-être dû le faire à la mi-temps,
the manager stated, indicating that a half-time substitution might have been more prudent. The coach added that Naïr also finished the match showing clear signs of exhaustion during stoppage time.
Cathro praised the subsequent impact of Davitashvili, highlighting the player’s defensive work rate. While the early exit raised initial concerns, the coaching staff did not report any injury. Club officials indicated that Cardona’s physical state will be evaluated during subsequent training sessions ahead of the weekend fixture.
A Shuffled Squad Prepares for FC Nantes
The physical toll on the Saint-Étienne squad compounds existing roster challenges as the club prepares to host FC Nantes at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. During the fixture against the Red Star, Les Verts lost captain Julien Le Cardinal, who was touché à la cheville, forcing a substitution in the 28th minute. Meanwhile, starting goalkeeper Gautier Larsonneur remains sidelined with a knee injury sustained previously against Rodez.
Saint-Étienne currently leads the Ligue 2 standings with 22 points, holding a five-point advantage over both Reims and the Red Star after securing two victories in a row. Opponent FC Nantes enters the weekend fixture in 14th place following a defeat against Dunkerque. Training ground assessments in the coming days will determine whether Cardona is cleared to start against the Canaris or if the coaching staff opts for a period of managed recovery.
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