Saint-Etienne moved above Paris Saint-Germain into third spot in the Ligue 1 table this evening by claiming a comfortable 2-1 victory over Reims at the Stade Auguste Delaune II.
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The hosts could have gone ahead after only six minutes, but striker Yohan Mollo was denied by the crossbar, which proved the difference as he attempted to guide his header past keeper Johnny Placide.
Reims had two good chances to take the lead, only for Saint-Etienne keeper Stephane Ruffier to deny both David Ngog and Nicolas de Preville with smart saves on two separate occasions.
It was the visitors who were to grab the game's opener right on the stroke of half time when Mollo converted with his right foot from a set-piece situation to give Saint-Etienne the lead going into the interval.
Creative midfielder Romain Hamouma pushed the away side further in front after half time, as the 27-year-old took aim from distance before rifling home into the bottom-left corner in the 48th minute.
Reims tried to claw a goal back late on when Gaetan Courtet blasted over from Diego's cross, before a consolation did arrive when Renaud Cohade put the ball into his own net in the 90th minute.
Christopher Dodd
