Nice 1-1 Nantes

On level terms

Le Gym shared the points with FC Nantes at the end of matchday 26 of L1 (1-1). After an encounter that never really got going, the Aiglons put an end to their bad run.

Quickly leading the game thanks to a goal from Dante, who made the most of a cross from Lees-Melou which was deflected by Girotto to open the scoring with a smart finish from close-range (1-0, 5’), the red and black boat sailed for a long time in mid-water, but in the end didn’t have enough in the tank to take home the win. Partly due to an organised and disciplined Nantes side. 

Still in a 4-3-3, with a starting eleven with just two changes from the side that faced Lokomotiv, the Niçois didn’t dominate in the first quarter of an hour… but earned themselves the most dangerous opportunities. After a charge forward by Saint-Maximin, Plea picked up the ball centrally, and could only find the post as his struck towards the Nantes goal (14’). He was then denied by the Nantes defence, following a cross from the number 7.

Claudio Ranieri’s side played their own game. Solid, compact (in a very disciplined 4-2-3-1), they were rarely dangerous but imposed a physical pressure on the home side. And at the same time, Emiliano Sala has the ability to bully a defence. A scrapper and tenacious, the number 9 prowled like a fox in the box, but couldn’t find the target with his first half-volley (22’). He made the most of a more than avoidable foul by Patrick Burner in the box to equalise from the penalty spot (1-1, 27’).

Despite several opportunities for both sides (strikes from Sala which sailed wide and Girotto dealt with by Benitez, and then Seri sent one over), the 22 protagonists headed back into the dressing room on level terms. 

Lack of intensity and a parried header

A perfect intervention from Coly - who put in a very smart performance -, to close the door excellently to prevent Sala from converting a cross from Thomasson (47’), kept the sides on a par. As the minutes went by, the exchanges progressively lost intensity. Too sketchy, the two sides barely had a chance during the second half. The Aiglons didn’t really make the most of the series of corners they had won, except for the scramble where Mario turned quickly to strike. But his effort was caught by Tatarusanu (68').

Lucien Favre tried to galvanise the final fifteen minutes with the arrivals of Srarfi and Cyprien. In the dying moments of the game, Le Gym had the chance to get the three points. A corner was sent in and Lees-Melou’s powerful header was turned away by the Nantes keeper in what was to be the last chance of the game.

With a draw, Nice put an end to a bad run in L1 (3 consecutive defeats), before travelling to Russia on Thursday where a masterstroke will be needed.

The only positive to be taken from a Sunday that lacked flavour.

C.D.

Nice, Allianz Riviera,
OGC Nice 1-1 FC Nantes (1-1 at half-time)

Matchday 26 of L1 - 18/02/2018

20 966 spectators

Referee: Clément Turpin

Goals: Dante (5') for Nice; Sala (27' pen.) for Nantes

Yellow cards: Plea (63'), Lees-Melou (76') for Nice

OGC Nice: Benitez - Burner, Dante (cap), Sarr, Coly - Lees-Melou, Tameze, Seri (Cyprien 81') - Saint-Maximin (Sacko 94'), Balotelli, Plea. 

FC Nantes : Tatarusanu - Dubois (cap), Djidji, Pallois, Lima - Girotto, Touré - Iloki (Kayembe 78'), Rongier, Thomasson - Sala.