Toulouse 0-2 Nice
The Gym bounce back
After taking an early lead (12'), the Aiglons added to the scoreline in the dying seconds after Walter Benitez had saved a penalty to pick up three points against a Toulouse side that finished with nine men. It is the Rouge-et-Noir's first away win since beating Rennes 2-1 on 1 September, and sees them bounce back from their 3-1 loss to Nîmes.
Both teams were looking for confidence, but neither was about to stand on ceremony. Issiaga Sylla found Matthieu Dossevi early on for a shot that flew wide of Benitez's goal (4').
The visitors responded quickly. Alexis Claude-Maurice's ball was headed wide by Pierre Lees-Melou (6'), but the midfielder would not be denied for long. Played in behind the home defence by Adam Ounas, the former Dijon man sent a shot between the legs of Baptiste Reynet for his fifth league goal of the season (12').
When Kasper Dolberg brought a Benitez clearance under control and headed goalwards just before the half-hour mark, Ruben Gabrielsen brought him down — the red card that followed for Toulouse's Norwegian defender was inevitable.
The hosts still managed to muster a threat, and Aaron Leya-Iseka twice fired wide (51', 54'), and to stir up his side, Patrick Vieira brought on Ignatius Ganago (59').
In a game of few chances, the closing stages would see things liven up. Charging off on the counter-attack, Ounas was brought down by Steven Moreira, who was also shown a red card to leave the hosts with nine men.
They still might have grabbed an unlikely point when Max-Alain Gradel won a penalty, but Benitez pushed out Leya-Iseka's spot-kick, and Christophe Herelle calmed the visitors' nerves, finishing from a Dolberg ball to secure three precious points (0-2, 90+6').
THE MATCH IN PHOTOS
Captain Malang Sarr's 100th Ligue 1 appearance
Pierre Lees-Melou beats Reynet to open the scoring.
The goalscorer celebrates with Nsoki.
Toulouse, Stadium,
Toulouse FC 0-2 OGC Nice (half-time 0-1)
L1 Round of 25 - 15/2/2020
Referee : Jérôme Miguelgorry
Goals : Lees-Melou (12') et Herelle (90'+6) pour Nice
Yellow cards : Gradel (58') et Sangaré (84') à Toulouse
Red Cards : Gabrielsen (27') et Moreira (77')
Toulouse FC : Reynet - Moreira, Gabrielsen, Diakité, Sylla - Vainqueur, Sangaré (cap), Makengo (Rogel, 30') - Dossevi (Gradel, 68'), Saïd (Amian, 79'), Leya Iseka
OGC Nice : Benitez - Herelle, Sarr (cap), Danilo, Nsoki - Thuram, Lees-Melou, Claude-Maurice (Ganago, 59') - Lusamba (Wagué, 90'+6), Ounas (Myziane, 79'), Dolberg