Ghanaian midfielder Augustine Boakye scored an 80th-minute winner as Saint-Etienne secured a 3-2 victory over Dijon in an entertaining Ligue 2 encounter at Stade Gaston-Gerard.
Saint-Etienne twice surrendered the advantage before Boakye’s late intervention settled a closely fought match and earned the visitors all three points.
The result was secured after a dramatic second half in which Dijon repeatedly threatened to take control of the contest.
Saint-Etienne went ahead for the first time in the 21st minute when Thierno Ballo found the net. Dijon responded through Samy Chouchane, who scored to bring the hosts level.
Ballo restored Saint-Etienne’s advantage in the 64th minute, but Chouchane struck again to complete his brace and make it 2-2.
With the match appearing to be heading towards another twist, Saint-Etienne produced the decisive moment 10 minutes from the end.
Zuriko Davitashvili created the opening with a well-timed pass into Boakye, who finished the move to put Saint-Etienne back in front.
This time, Dijon could not find another response and Saint-Etienne held on for a 3-2 victory.
Boakye’s goal proved particularly important because Dijon had twice recovered from being behind and remained in contention until the final stages.
The Ghanaian’s finish gave Saint-Etienne the composure they needed to complete a hard-earned away victory.
The visitors had shown greater control during the match, with the statistics reflecting their overall advantage.
Saint-Etienne enjoyed more possession and registered more shots than their opponents, while they also had a stronger presence in the penalty area.
That control helped them dominate the important periods of the game, although Dijon remained competitive and created opportunities of their own.
The hosts’ ability to respond twice demonstrated their determination, but Saint-Etienne ultimately had the greater quality in the final third.
That difference proved decisive when Boakye converted Davitashvili’s pass in the 80th minute.
For Boakye, the goal provided a significant contribution to a victory that could give Saint-Etienne confidence going into their next fixture.
The Ghanaian midfielder’s late finish came at a crucial point in the contest, with Dijon having already shown twice that they could recover from a deficit.
Saint-Etienne’s ability to regain the lead for a third time and protect it until the final whistle was therefore an important part of the victory.
Dijon had competed strongly and created chances, but their opponents’ effectiveness in attacking areas eventually separated the sides.
Saint-Etienne will now look to build on the result when they face Montpellier on 5 September.
Boakye’s contribution will be one of the main positives from the victory after his late strike turned a potentially difficult away match into three points for the visitors.
The match had already produced four goals before Boakye’s decisive intervention, with Ballo scoring twice for Saint-Etienne and Chouchane responding with two goals for Dijon.
Neither side was able to maintain a lead for long until the Ghanaian midfielder’s effort in the closing stages.
Davitashvili’s pass provided the opportunity and Boakye supplied the finish, ensuring that Saint-Etienne finally stayed ahead after twice being pegged back.
The result underlined Saint-Etienne’s ability to remain composed during a high-scoring contest and find a way to win despite Dijon repeatedly recovering.
Their superiority in possession, shooting and attacking presence was reflected in the final score, although the narrow margin showed how competitive the match remained.
Boakye’s late goal ultimately proved to be the difference, giving Saint-Etienne an important victory and an opportunity to carry positive momentum into their meeting with Montpellier.
