AS Saint-Étienne took a quarter of an hour to get into the game, giving the ball away repeatedly against a well-organized Sochaux side. But after the water break, everything changed: between the 21st and 28th minute, Les Verts scored three goals thanks to their offensive quartet Boakyé-Breum-Ballo-Cardona, turning a timid 0-0 into a resounding 3-0. Despite the absence of Stassin and Davitashvili (the former looking to leave, the latter not yet physically ready), ASSE managed to display fluid, collective football, which bodes well for their offensive potential going forward.
Worth noting: this opening-day win is the Stéphanois' first since September 17, 2020 (2-0 against Marseille, goals from Hamouma and Bouanga).
Larsonneur (54): Rarely tested, but he kept a clean sheet nonetheless. Alert on the few Sochaux chances, though his lack of composure on certain interventions (including a possible handball in the box) raises doubts about his ability to hold up against sharper attacks.
Pedro (73): The best of the four defenders. Solid defensively (9 duels won out of 11), he also contributed offensively with regular runs down his flank. One to watch closely on Sorare: his price (€18 in-season) makes him an interesting investment, especially since his versatility (able to play left or right) could earn him more playing time, particularly if ASSE signs a right-back or if Ben Old returns from injury. Bonus: he was at the origin of the turnover leading to Cardona's 1st goal... before starting the move for the 3rd goal with a decisive dribble.
Le Cardinal (70): A sober, efficient match. An exemplary captain, he only gave the ball away 3 times and was never really troubled. Hard to say much more about this performance, but his consistency remains a real asset.
Nair (78): A promising signing. Paired with Le Cardinal, he formed a center-back partnership that won 100% of its duels (9/9) while giving the ball away just 3 times. His composure and reading of the game are encouraging, but he'll need to confirm against more dangerous attacks to establish himself ahead of Chico Lamba once he returns.
Ferreira (59): Disappointing. Starting in Ben Old's absence, he struggled to make his mark: 13 balls lost and only 1 duel won out of 2. Going forward he tried to make things happen, but his defensive contribution will need to improve quickly to convince.
Bernauer (58): Comfortable in his defensive midfield role. His distribution and game reading structured Sainté's play. With a successful dribble and a shot on target, he showed some attacking intent, even if some forward passes lacked precision.
Csongvai (43): Quiet, but decisive. His game was largely uneventful, but it was his through pass to Boakyé that opened the scoring. His Sorare score (43) seems to undersell his real impact. One to watch to see if his much-talked-about technique translates on the pitch.
Boakyé (73): Dynamite for 45 minutes. Subbed off at half-time, he left his mark with a run down the wing and an aerial dribble past his marker, setting up Breum's opener. His physicality and ability to create imbalances are a reminder he can be a game-changer at any moment.
Breum (83): Man of the match. 1 goal, 1 assist, and the second-to-last pass in the build-up to Cardona's 2nd goal: the number 10 simply carried ASSE. His vision, collective intelligence, and eye for goal already make him one of the key players of the season. Shades of Moravcik for the old-timers among us.
Cardona (83): A brace for his 25th birthday! 2 goals from 2 shots on target (100% conversion): the striker showed real composure, including a first goal with his trademark chipped finish. Despite 12 balls lost, his attacking impact was decisive.
Ballo (60): The provider. His cross set up Cardona's 2nd goal, his only major contribution over 70 minutes. Fast and explosive, he let his speed do the talking, even if his overall performance was uneven.
Duffus (41): A failed cameo. Coming on at half-time, he got everything wrong: passes, touches, duels. A shame, since last season he often proved decisive off the bench. A role that could well suit him again.
Stassin (38): No impact. With his future up in the air, he failed to make himself dangerous in 35 minutes. Until his situation is resolved, it's hard to imagine him at 100%.
Davitashvili (36): Encouraging nonetheless. In 20 minutes, he made a notable run that could have led to a goal had it not been for Duffus's poor touch. His link-up with Breum is a good sign for the future.
Baallal (35): Error-free, but unspectacular. 8 successful passes out of 8 in 15 minutes: solid, but not enough to really stand out.
Ones to watch on Sorare:
Cardona (83): still affordable, and especially Breum (83): essential up front, their prices should shoot up if ASSE keep this up.
Pedro (73): Versatile and cheap (€18), a good investment for a player whose game time should stay consistent. If Sainté sign a left-back, Pedro should move back to his usual right-back spot, where he should be even better.
Nair (78): Solid, underrated defender, worth tracking for Limited lineups. Watch out though for his role in the team once Lamba returns.
Question marks:
Ferreira (59): Can he establish himself at right-back? He's not fully convincing, but the coach seems to rate him. Depending on how the transfer window ends and whether a new full-back is signed, having him on your roster could be worthwhile given his price.
Csongvai (43): His Sorare score doesn't reflect his real impact. A risk worth taking in Draft?
Bernauer (58): Watch out! While he could be interesting scoring-wise on Sorare, with new Polish signing Tamar Svetlin and the return of
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