AS Saint-Étienne vs Rodez AF

Saint-Étienne host Rodez at a sold-out Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Friday in the second round of the Ligue 1 qualification playoffs. The winner earns a two-legged tie against the 16th-placed Ligue 1 side — promotion football is the prize. Les Verts finished third in Ligue 2 despite being pre-season favourites for automatic promotion, but their home form gives them confidence. Giorgi Davitashvili leads the attack with 14 goals and five assists, flanked by Irvin Cardona and Lucas Stassin, though the suspended Boakye is sorely missed. Rodez arrive on a remarkable 21-match unbeaten run and already beat Saint-Étienne 2-1 in their last league encounter. Tairyk Arconte (14 goals) and the in-form Abdoulaye Baldé — four goals in his last three matches — spearhead their attack, while Tebily and Achi are ruled out. Rodez's stunning rally at Red Star, where they came from two goals down to win 3-2, shows their resilience. Still, a raucous Geoffroy-Guichard and a full week of rest should edge things for the hosts. Our prediction: 2-1