Despite a solid performance, the Aiglons were eliminated from the Coupe de la Ligue by a more realistic Monaco (1-2). They leave the competition at the doors of the semi-finals, with regrets.

Exciting, charming, frustrating. The 90 minutes are summed up perfectly by these three adjectives. Up against its favourite enemy, the Gym didn’t let itself down. Far from it. The Aiglons dominated the game for most of the match (75% of possession at the break, 73% at the end), using the superiority (both numerical and technical) of the Lees-Melou – Tameze – Seri trio in midfield, first, then using the collective desire in the second. They created chances, but were caught out by the realism of the side from the Rock, in a perfect reproduction of the most recent encounter between the two sides at the Allianz Riviera (with a slightly lower score).

Very quickly, the Red and Blacks were able to get the fans going. Very quickly, they were punished by a surgical visitor. After just 2 minutes, Plea pivoted in the Red and White box, but Srarfi couldn’t find the target with his effort. After 3 minutes, Keita Baldé crossed to Lemar who, well-placed between Dante and Burner, finished into perfectly into the back of the net (0-1, 3’).

Not at all shaken by this, Dante and co., set-up in an effective 4-3-3 but without Super Mario (injury to the glute), didn’t crumble. Saint-Maximin, fast like the wind, caused problem after problem for Sidibé, his former teammate. Playing at 9, the number 7 beat his opponent, broke into the box but could only find Benaglio. In the 17th minute, he played in Alassane Plea superbly, Plea was just onside - confirmed by the video referee, used for the first time in the Coupe de la Ligue - and he beat Jemerson, got his balance, then tricked the Swiss keeper with a powerful strike to the near post (1-1, 17’).

The Allianz rose to its feet, saluted the number 14 and almost exploded when, straight after, an in-form Seri found the very same Plea, in the box, but this time his strike was blocked by Jemerson (24’).

At ease with the ball at their feet, fluid in their movement, Lucien Favre’s lads added speed and quality to the game. But these noble acts weren’t to be enough. And up against them, the side currently 2nd in L1 relied essentially on individuals in attack. On the freedom and talent of Lemar, the speed of Keita Baldé, the desire of Diakhaby. The two latter gave the away side the advantage just before the break, when the former Lazio man crossed once again with his right, and the former Rennais forward struck first time with a half-volley (1-2, 44’). Everything was going to need to be redone, but the Niçois had reasons to hope at the break...

Despite the opportunity to equalise...

A double save from Benaglio after a shot from Lees-Melou which was followed in well by Srarfi, added fire to the game from the very get go in the second half. A phenomenal tackle from Malang Sarr to deny Keita Baldé, who was in on goal, but was prevented by the 18 year old centre back, served to remind that an ogre denied of the ball can still bring danger when it wins it back.

The look of the first half was more or less repeated in the second. Nice dominated throughout and had an excellent opportunity to equalise on the hour mark. Plea made the most of a excellent long ball from Sarr, which was badly read by Glik, and he crossed perfectly into the box, but Lees-Melou, unmarked and just 6 metres out, missed the target (64’).

Lucien Favre sent on Wylan Cyprien and Ignatius Ganago in the final 20 minutes, in attempt to change the game. Jemerson denied Srarfi the equaliser, and the Red and Blacks continued to push and probe, trying everything and leaving spaces in behind them. 

They didn’t manage to take it to penalties.

Eliminated from both national cups, Lucien Favre’s squad still have things to look forward to at the start of 2018: form to uphold in L1, from this Saturday against Amiens, and a ticket for the Round of 32 of the Europa League to face Lokomotiv Moscow. 

C.D.

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