On Tuesday night, Rodez secured a victory against Red Star in the first match of the Ligue 1 promotion playoffs (2-3). This Friday, RAF will face Saint-Étienne to continue their momentum and hope for a double confrontation against the 16th team in Ligue 1.
Rodez Aveyron Football is on track towards their dream of Ligue 1! Finishing fifth in the regular Ligue 2 season, RAF participated in the first match of the promotion playoffs against Red Star, the recent fourth-place team. The Aveyron team successfully negotiated this first encounter with a one-goal victory at Stade Bauer (2-3) on Tuesday night. The team fought hard and equalized twice after Cabral and Escartin scored.
The heroes of the Ruthénois evening were Ibrahima Baldé, Mathis Magnin, and Wilitty Younoussa, who scored in the last twenty minutes of the match. “It was a crazy match,” admitted Raphaël Lipinski. “It was a match that reflected our style, with a lot of madness, a lot of intensity. All of this led to our success today. The two quick goals were amazing. We had to stay grounded, remain calm to secure the result, even after conceding two goals. Our strength lies in being able to switch moods, whether calm or very intense.”
And now, onto the next challenge. Rodez’s 21st consecutive unbeaten match naturally calls for another one, as the Aveyron team is not yet on vacation. With this victory, RAF earned the right to play the second match of the promotion playoffs against AS Saint-Étienne. This match is scheduled for Friday at Geoffroy-Guichard. Two years ago, the two teams faced off at the same stage of the competition, with a Saint-Étienne victory (2-0). This defeat is still fresh in memory. “Two years ago, we arrived in Saint-Étienne in slightly worse physical condition… Now, we need to recover well,” said the last Ruthénois scorer. Lipinski also issued a warning: “We need to quickly switch to get a result in Saint-Étienne, something we failed to do two years ago.”
After the game, Didier Santini congratulated his players and praised their mentality despite the scenario. “It’s a crazy scenario, a bit like us,” acknowledged the coach. “Even in difficulty and trailing, my players don’t give up. They stick to their principles, trying to fight back. It was a tough match, but every time we conceded a goal, we managed to come back quickly.”
