Goals either side of half time from Robert Beric and Kevin Monnet-Paquet pushed Saint-Etienne to a 2-0 victory over bottom-placed Gazelec Ajaccio in Ligue 1 this evening.
The game failed to produce many chances in the opening stages, and it took at least 18 minutes before Benoit Assou-Ekotto could get a shot off to test Clement Maury down low.
Etienne were able to find a lead with the next attempt, though, as Valentin Eysseric sent in a telling corner for Robert Beric, who turned home the easiest of chances to make it 1-0 to the home side.
The visitors might have found themselves a leveller before the break, however, only for Kevin Mayi to head Jeremie Brechet's corner over the crossbar from close range.
Etienne began the second half brightly and might have doubled their lead had Monnet-Paquet been more efficient with either of his two early chances.
Gazelec should have made the hosts pay for their profligacy, but Khalid Boutaib could not steer his header on target despite some accurate crossing from Alassane Toure.
Etienne kept themselves searching for a game-winning second and they were able to find it through Monnet-Paquet, who drilled into the bottom corner from range to push the hosts home to a 2-0 victory.
Christopher Dodd
