Annecy secured a vital away victory against Grenoble (1-2) on Friday, September 4, 2026, in Ligue 2's fifth matchday. The Savoyard club came from behind with late goals from Samba Diba and Paul Venot to claim all three points. This win solidifies Annecy's position in sixth place in the league table, with seven points from two wins, one draw, and one loss so far this season.
The game kicked off at 8:00 PM at the Stade des Alpes. A first half that saw yellow cards for Annecy's Gabin Secrétant and Grenoble's Antoine Larose ended goalless. The second period provided much more drama. Grenoble broke the deadlock in the 66th minute through Thibault Rambaud. Annecy responded swiftly. The manager made a double substitution in the 67th minute, bringing on Paul Venot and Jonathan Do Marcolino. The equalizer came eight minutes later. Samba Diba leveled the score for Annecy with a precise strike in the 74th minute, reigniting his team's hopes.
Paul Venot, introduced shortly after Grenoble's opener, proved to be the decisive figure. In added time of the second half, at 90 minutes +1, he secured the win for his team. His goal, stemming from a collective move, sealed the victory for the visitors. Samba Diba, scorer of the equalizer, was also substituted soon after his goal, making way for Jules Mouton. These three points are significant in the race near the top, with Annecy now sitting five points behind leaders Saint-Étienne.
The numerous second-half substitutions demonstrated Annecy's determination not to settle for a draw. After the introduction of Venot and Do Marcolino, further changes followed: Ugo Bonnet replaced Lucas Bernadou in the 73rd minute, then Mamady Bangré and Jules Mouton came on in the 79th. Pascal Mozie took Mohamed Koné's place in the 84th minute. Late in the match, Dillon Hoogewerf and Mohamed Bechikh also entered the fray. This management of the squad maintained a high intensity until the final whistle. The team has scored five goals this season while conceding four, resulting in a positive goal difference.
Buoyed by this momentum, Annecy now turns its attention to an away fixture at Guingamp, scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2026. Guingamp currently occupies 11th place in the championship.
