Saint-Etienne vs Nice is France's lowest-quality match since 2022
The first leg of the play-off between Saint-Etienne and Nice ended in a goalless draw, setting a new record for the lowest xG in French professional football since 2022.
Tuesday night at Geoffroy-Guichard saw a remarkably dull encounter as Saint-Etienne and Nice played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their promotion/relegation play-off. The match provided little excitement for the fans in attendance.
According to Opta, this was the lowest-quality match in French professional football across Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 since the 2022/23 season. Neither side managed a single shot on target throughout the entire match. The combined expected goals (xG) value reached only 0.41, with the hosts contributing 0.11 and the visitors 0.3.
For Saint-Etienne, the game was particularly toothless in the final third. They failed to record a single shot inside the opponent's box, a feat that had occurred only twice in the last 20 seasons: against PSG in April 2017 and Marseille in December 2024.
However, the offensive struggle was matched by defensive stability. Saint-Etienne has now recorded 15 clean sheets this season, the second-highest total across both Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, trailing only PSG with 18.