OGC Nice won at home on Saturday afternoon against Olympique Lyonnais (3-2). Brave as a team and clinical in attack, Les Aiglons owe their victory to Melvin Bard, Sofiane Diop and Hicham Boudaoui, the three goalscorers.

The entire Allianz Riviera held its breath. Leading by just one goal, Le Gym saw the spectre of its difficult start to the season reappear. The six minutes of added time had passed, yet OL pushed for an equaliser and won a final corner. It was cleared with courage and that little bit extra that makes the difference between a frustrating draw and a convincing victory.

This Saturday, the Rouge et Noir withstood pressure from the Rhône side and ultimately secured a well-deserved victory thanks to the efforts of everyone on the pitch, on the sidelines, and in the stands. Facing an impressive opponent at the start of the season (seven wins in nine matches in all competitions), Franck Haise and his players knew they would have to ‘give more,’ as the Côte d'Azur coach likes to say, to break down the best defence in the league (five goals conceded in Ligue 1 before today's match).

A FLYING START

One thing is certain: the players responded to their coach's call. Fighting spirit, solidity, ruthlessness... Every ingredient was perfectly balanced to secure victory. Just like in the derby in Monaco just before the break (Matchday 7, 2-2), Les Aiglons started at full throttle. Positioned in a low block, with the intention of letting the opposition come to them so they could counterattack more effectively, they exploited the space created behind the Lyon defence to open the scoring early on. After a pass in behind from Mohamed-Ali Cho, Sofiane Diop sent a wonderful low cross to the far post, where Melvin Bard wasted no time in surprising his former club (1-0, 5').

A team move that did not prevent the Rouge et Noir from suffering. At first, they resisted, saved by Diop's block in front of Tolisso (7'), by Satriano's inaccuracy in the box (19') and by Yehvann Diouf, who was called into action by Tolisso (29'). But Nice finally cracked when Pavel Šulc headed the ball in at the far post, leaving Le Gym's goalkeeper with no chance (1-1, 29').

SOFIANE DIOP IN FORM

It was a major blow – Charles Vanhoutte could have been awarded a penalty on the move before the goal – but it did not knock Comman'Dante's teammates off their stride, with the captain playing on his 42nd birthday. Although Mr Brisard had just refused to award Cho another penalty after he was fouled by Tolisso in the box due to a very slight offside at the start of the move, Le Gym did not give up. It was Diop, once again, who got his men back in front by slotting home, like a fox in the box, Jeremie Boga's header following Jonathan Clauss's fine cross (2-1, 35').

With his fourth goal in Ligue 1 this season, the Nice attacking midfielder shone once again on Saturday. With his creativity, work rate and defensive runs, the Moroccan international confirmed his rise to prominence and helped his team go into the break with a one-goal lead.

DIOUF THE HERO, BOUDAOUI THE LIBERATOR

The match was fast-paced in the first half and didn't let up in the second. This time, it was Yéhvann Diouf's turn to write a new chapter in this crazy game. After the unfortunate Vanhoutte conceded a (very harsh) penalty, the Côte d'Azur goalkeeper pulled out all the stops, waiting until the last moment to dive and push away Ainsley Maitland-Niles' spot-kick, who had never missed from 11 metres in Ligue 1 (54').  

This sent the Allianz Riviera into raptures... before erupting with joy moments later when Hicham Boudaoui scored with a brilliant finish, after Les Aiglons broke away on another well-executed counter-attack (3-1, 55'). Comforted by this third goal, the Rouge et Noir then played intelligently, managing their efforts and the score. Diouf, reinvigorated by his penalty save, frustrated the opposition attackers by looking imperious in front of numerous Lyon crosses and corners. He dived well (57') and flew perfectly (82') to prevent attempts from Malick Fofana and Rachid Ghezzal from finding the net. His leap to save Tolisso's cross-shot, which almost went into the top corner in added time, was so impressive that Šulc's goal following a scramble (3-2, 90’+6) will be forgotten.

Courageous and clinical, OGC Nice fought hard and played with skill to secure a victory that temporarily puts them back in the top half of the table, in eighth place (11 points). They will need to do just as well, if not better, in Vigo on Thursday in the Europa League (9pm) and in Rennes on Sunday (5.15pm), the next two stops on the Aiglons' journey.

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Hugo Rondet