Saint Etienne vs Metz FC Prediction: Metz FC will definitely crumble here

Saint Etienne and Metz FC will play the final round of the relegation/promotion playoffs. Saint Etienne are fighting for a place in the Ligue 1 next season and the consequence of that is, Metz FC will be demoted to the Ligue 2 next season. So, the first leg of the final Playoff game will be played at the Stade Geoffroy.

Saint Etienne are only halfway through to the Ligue 1 and all that remains is Metz FC in a 2-leg encounter. Saint Etienne host the first leg and they have a chance to get the vital advantage ahead of the return leg. 

Saint Etienne did the business in the previous round by beating Rodez AF in the previous round. The game was concluded in regular time and Saint Etienne won 2-0 in the end. In the first half neither team was able to break the deadlock until the 64th minute when Irvin Cardona put Saint Etienne ahead. Saint Etienne took control after that and then they got the second goal in the 90+6 minute through Nathanael Mbuku. In the end, Saint Etienne won the game 2-0. According to stats, Saint Etienne had 53% possession, 4 big chances, 14 corner kicks and 12 shots on target. 

Metz FC will have to keep their place in the Ligue 1 next season over the course of a 2-legged playoff. Metz FC ended the Ligue 1 season poorly, as they lost 4 games in a row. Fortunately they managed to end the season in 16th with 29 points. Which automatically qualifies them for the playoff tournament.

Metz FC will be playing against Saint Etienne at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard and their objective would be to avoid a defeat at all costs ahead of the second leg. Metz played against Saint Etienne April last year and they won the game 3-1. Georges Mikautadze scored a brace (10’ & 26’) and Koffi Kouao scored once in that game. 

Metz FC had a very bad season in the Ligue 1 last season and their end to the season raises a lot of questions about the form of the team ahead of this playoff game. Metz FC will need to make a lot of improvements if they hope to overcome Saint Etienne in this playoff game. 

According to the h2h, in the last 20 meetings between Saint Etienne and Metz FC, Saint Etienne won 9 games while Metz FC won 6 and 5 games ended as a draw.

It's still unclear how Metz FC intend to improve their performances in the upcoming game. They were totally bad at the end of last season and it would be a disaster for them if no changes are made ahead of the playoffs. Saint Etienne were in high spirits against Rodez AF and they're not going to back down against Metz FC here. Also playing at home is such a huge advantage for Saint Etienne.

Match Facts:-

Met FC have no clean sheet in the last 5 meetings 

Metz FC scored first in 8/10 meetings

⅘ meetings ended with less than 4.5 cards

• Saint Etienne to Win or Draw and Over 1.5 Goals at 1.83 Odds
• Saint Etienne to Score First at 1.76 Odds
• Saint Etienne to Win at 2.10 Odds