Ligue 2: Le Mans promotion in suspense after match interruption, Saint

The Ligue 2 season ended on Saturday with decisive victories for Rodez over Annecy (2-1) and Laval over Boulogne-sur-Mer (2-1), and the match between Le Mans and Bastia (2-0) which had to be confirmed after a pause due to smoke bombs.

Tears of joy, others of distress. On the eve of the penultimate day of Ligue 1, the elite’s antechamber lowered the curtain, almost, on Saturday, May 9 after a multiplex rich in emotions. While the champion, Troyes, had secured their promotion with a dazzling victory against Saint-Etienne (3-0), the Greens will have to go through play-offs as they missed direct promotion by Le Mans. The Mans have returned to the elite after fifteen years in the lower divisions, pending the confirmation of their victory over Bastia….

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The Laval Stadium, which was under threat from Bastia for relegation, did their part by beating Boulogne-sur-Mer (2-1). The Mayennais will play a play-off to avoid relegation to the newly named Ligue 3.

Behind the battle between Saint-Etienne and Red Star, who still had hopes for direct promotion but settled for fourth place after Mans’ victory, the last ticket for the play-offs was fiercely contested. At kick-off, the last qualifying place, fifth place, belonged to Rodez. The Ruthenois, undefeated in the second half of the season (ten wins and seven draws), controlled the game from start to finish to win 2-1 in Haute-Savoie, thanks to goals from forwards Ibrahima Baldé and Tairyk Arconte in the first half despite Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez’s goal. Stade de Reims, a candidate for direct promotion at the start of the season, saw their last hopes of play-offs diminish despite their fantastic win against Pau (5-2).

Play-off schedule for promotion to Ligue 1:
– Red Star – Rodez (May 12 at 20:30)
– Saint-Etienne – Red Star or Rodez (May 15 at 20:30)
– Saint-Etienne or Red Star or Rodez – 16th of Ligue 1 (two legs, May 21 and 24)

Relegation play-off schedule for Ligue 3:
– 3rd from National – Laval (two legs, May 19 at 20:30 and May 24 at 17:00)