SAINT-ÉTIENNE, France (Interstat) — Saint-Etienne II opened its Ligue 2 campaign with a convincing 2-0 victory over Red Star on Saturday at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, defying a pregame projection that had forecast a draw.

The match, a season opener for both clubs in France’s second division, was decided by second-half goals from defender Kévin Pedro and forward Lucas Stassin. The result immediately separated the teams in the early standings, with Saint-Etienne II securing a win while Red Star began its season with a defeat.

After a first half characterized by tight midfield play and few clear chances, the deadlock was broken in the 65th minute. Pedro, a defender, surged forward to finish a play and put the hosts ahead 1-0. The goal shifted the momentum firmly in favor of Saint-Etienne II.

The home side sealed the victory 15 minutes later. In the 80th minute, Stassin found the net to double the advantage to 2-0. The goal was assisted by substitute Balthazar Pierret, who entered the match and made an immediate impact by setting up the decisive strike.

The match grew increasingly tense in the final stages. Pierret received a yellow card in the 85th minute, and Red Star’s frustrations culminated in a booking for midfielder Abdoulaye Kanté deep into stoppage time, recorded in the ninth added minute.

The final scoreline contradicted the pregame analytics. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 1-1 draw, while its ELO rating system gave Saint-Etienne II a 59.4 percent probability of securing a win. The performance on the pitch delivered a more definitive outcome than either metric anticipated.

With the victory, Saint-Etienne II begins its season with a perfect record of one win and no losses in Ligue 2 play, a mark that also reflects its overall record across all competitions. Red Star starts its campaign with one loss in both the league and its total fixture list.

The match provided an early statement from Saint-Etienne II, which displayed efficiency in converting its opportunities. The contributions from Pedro and Stassin on the scoresheet, supplemented by Pierret’s assist off the bench, proved sufficient to secure all three points and a clean sheet in front of the home supporters.