Easy for St Etienne

Goals from Benjamin Corgnet and Mevlut Erding earned St Etienne a comfortable 2-0 win over Nantes.

Goals from Benjamin Corgnet and Mevlut Erding earned St Etienne an ultimately comfortable Ligue 1 win over Nantes. Corgnet's clinical finish in the first half and Erding's penalty in the closing stages saw Les Verts move to 30 points with their ninth win of the season. Nantes threatened an equaliser in the closing stages of the first half but the home side were good value for the three points. Franck Tabanou went close for St Etienne, his 25-yard shot flashing just over, before they took the lead in the 22nd minute. Max Gradel and Erding combined to set up Corgnet and the midfielder fired the ball clinically past keeper Remy Riou from 15 yards. Nantes went immediately in search of an equaliser, with Serge Gakpe's fierce long-range drive blocked by Stephane Ruffier. Gakpe threatened again shortly before half-time when he dispossessed Jonathan Brison and immediately got a shot away, which brushed the outside of the post with Ruffier beaten. The home keeper had to be at his best in first-half stoppage time when Alejandro Bedoya picked out Fernando Aristeguieta, an early replacement for the injured Filip Djordjevic. The Venezuelan headed at goal but Ruffier blocked. St Etienne improved markedly in the second half, though, and Erding drew an early save from Riou after being set free by Corgnet. The pair combined again when Corgnet nodded on Faouzi Ghoulam's cross and Erding volleyed just wide. And the Turkish forward then headed another Ghoulam cross just wide before finally notching his long-awaited goal from the spot. Chaker Alhadhur handled in the area and Erding coolly sent Riou the wrong way to put the game beyond doubt.