St Etienne off the mark

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: Netted twice for St Etienne

St Etienne secured their first Ligue 1 win of the season with an emphatic 4-0 home triumph over Brest.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang started and finished the scoring for Les Verts, with Romain Hamouma and Josuha Guilavogui also on target as St Etienne got their first points on the board in style after starting the season with two defeats.

The result saw Christophe Galtier's side join their visitors on three points in the fledgling standings.

Having been read the riot act by Galtier following their poor start to the campaign, the hosts wasted no time in asserting their authority today.

Just 12 minutes in, Aubameyang connected with a perfect cross from Hamouma and struck his low volley past Brest goalkeeper Alexis Thebaux.

The Gabon forward almost doubled his side's lead just before the half-hour mark but lashed his shot against the post following a swift counter-attack led by Hamouma.

Moments later the home team did have their two-goal cushion, though.

Hamouma was the man on target, the summer signing from relegated Caen slotting home after being set up by Fabien Lemoine.

Brest mustered their first - and only - chance of note four minutes before half-time when Benoit Lesoimier burst through on goal. However, with only goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier to beat, he lifted his effort over the bar.

St Etienne continued in the same vein after the interval and deservedly extended their lead on the hour, Jeremy Clement and Francois Clerc combining to tee up Guilavogui for a neat finish.

And barely a minute later Aubameyang applied the icing to the cake by firing home after being put through by Clement.

Aubameyang should have claimed his hat-trick 21 minutes from time when another sublime pass from Clement sent him through on Thebaux once more, but this time the keeper won the duel.

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