Saint-Étienne defeated by Servette in friendly match
In their second pre-season friendly, Saint-Étienne suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against Servette in Geneva.
Lucas Stassin n'a pas pu empêcher la défaite de l'ASSE en amical. (A. Martin/L'Équipe)
Saint-Étienne continued their pre-season preparations with a second friendly match, falling to a 1-0 defeat against Swiss side Servette in Geneva. The match was played behind closed doors.
Under the guidance of manager Ian Cathro, the team has been heavily focused on physical conditioning following a busy training schedule since July 1st. This physical fatigue was evident on the pitch, as the French side struggled to generate attacking threats, recording only one shot on target through Lucas Stassin in the 34th minute.
The decisive moment arrived in the 32nd minute when a risky pass from Joao Ferreira was intercepted, allowing Miroslav Stevanovic to capitalize and score the only goal of the game. Cathro emphasized that the team is currently in an experimental phase, using these fixtures against well-prepared opponents to find long-term solutions.
The second half saw several changes, which led to some disorganization in the structure. Saint-Étienne struggled to retain possession and often relied too heavily on central play. The squad will now turn their attention to their next challenge, a high-profile friendly against Rangers in Glasgow this coming Wednesday.