Melvut Erding scored twice as Saint-Etienne started a new Ligue 1 campaign in positive fashion with a 2-0 victory over Guingamp on Saturday night.
The visitors should have been ahead inside five minutes, but Francois Clerc could only drag his effort wide of the target after bursting into the box.
A first half dominated by defenders took a dramatic turn in the 39th minute when Christophe Kerbrat chopped down Romain Hamouma inside the area to allow Erding to confidently slot home from the spot.
Goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier ensured that St Etienne went in at the break with the lead by tipping Mustapha Yatabare's header wide of the post.
Kerbrat was inches away from atoning for his earlier error as he found space inside the box before sending a powerful header agonisingly wide.
Guingamp continued to look threatening when going forward, but their frustration continued as Ruffier reacted impressively to get a hand on a Christophe Mandanne shot which looked destined for the top corner.
St Etienne were rewarded for holding off the challenge from the hosts as Erding wrapped up the win, intercepting a pass from Dorian Leveque before rounding Mamadou Samassa to tap into an empty net.
Callum Mulvihill
