Saint-Etienne struggles again in 2-2 draw with Strasbourg

By AP
Published

PARIS (AP) New coach Julien Sable couldn't do much to improve Saint-Etienne's poor home record in a 2-2 draw with relegation-threatened Strasbourg on Friday.

Each time that Saint-Etienne took the lead, Strasbourg quickly equalized.

After Hernani Azevedo's opener in the 41st, Jean-Eudes Aholou replied three minutes later.

Then after Kevin Monnet-Paquet's goal in the 56th, Jonas Martin converted a penalty seven minutes later.

Saint-Etienne moved into sixth, level on points with Caen, four points behind fifth-place Nantes.

Strasbourg remained third from the bottom ahead of the rest of the 14th round, which is highlighted by Sunday's top-of-the-table clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco.

Sable was recently hired when Oscar Garcia left the club 10 days after a humiliating 5-0 home loss to bitter rival Lyon. Sable captained the 10-time champions then served as the Saint-Etienne's academy director before being named manager.

Saint-Etienne has won just three of its last 14 home games in the French league.