Dutch-born Moroccan winger Zakaria Aboukhlal delivered a decisive blow as Toulouse edged past Saint-Étienne with a thrilling 2-1 victory at the Stadium de Toulouse.
Saint-Étienne, still finding their footing after promotion, controlled much of the first-half possession but failed to convert it into meaningful opportunities. Toulouse’s defense, marshaled by Charlie Cresswell, held firm, denying Les Verts a single shot on goal. Zuriko Davitashivili’s teasing free-kick created a brief moment of danger, but Cresswell’s clearance kept goalkeeper Guillaume Restes untested.
The second half exploded into life, ignited by Aron Dønnum’s fierce response to Pierre Cornud’s heavy challenge, sparking a clash that saw yellow cards for Joshua King and Yunis Abdelhamid. Les Verts struck first in the 53rd minute when Dennis Appiah’s pinpoint delivery allowed Lucas Stassin to slot home his debut goal.
Toulouse responded swiftly, with Gabriel Suazo’s perfect cross finding Shavy Babicka for a towering header. Then, in the dying moments, Aboukhlal latched onto Niklas Schmidt’s cross, calmly sliding the ball beneath Gautier Larsonneur to seal the comeback and send the home crowd into raptures.
It was a cruel ending for Saint-Étienne, but Aboukhlal’s clinical finish underscored Toulouse’s edge in a pulsating encounter.
