The clash between Saint-Étienne and Nice last night ended with a scoreless draw, but the real story was the lack of quality on display. It was a match that set a new standard for mediocrity, producing the lowest expected goals (xG) total in a full professional French football game since 2022.

Neither side managed a single shot on target throughout the 103 minutes of play. The combined xG for the match was just 0.41 – a pitiful figure that included 0.11 for Saint-Étienne and 0.30 for Nice. According to Opta’s records, no full match in Ligue 1, Ligue 2, or their playoffs has been so devoid of goal-scoring opportunities in the past four seasons.

Only two other fixtures in the current campaign came close to this level of ineffectiveness: the goalless draw between Grenoble and Bastia (0.55 xG) in September and the 1-0 victory of Toulouse over Strasbourg (0.56 xG) in December. Earlier in the 2023-24 season, the 0-1 loss between Metz and Brest was described as a “rare achievement” with an xG of just 0.54.

Defensive solidity overshadows offensive drought

While the lack of attacking firepower was glaring, Saint-Étienne can take some solace in their defensive record. The club finished the season with the second-highest number of clean sheets in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 combined, trailing only Paris Saint-Germain’s 18. Saint-Étienne recorded 15 clean sheets, a testament to their resolute backline.

The match also marked a rare occasion where Saint-Étienne failed to attempt a single shot on target, a feat they had only achieved twice in the past 20 years. The previous instances came in April 2017 against Paris Saint-Germain (0-5) and December 2024 against Marseille (0-2), both at home. Despite the offensive struggles, the team’s defensive discipline remained a consistent bright spot.