Transformed by the incredible entrance of Mickaël Le Bihan, the Gym once again showed the extent of their character. Trailing a very good Montpellier side, they made the difference thanks to a  brace from their number 10, who was making his return to competition after 17 long months (2-1).

It was the kind of fairytale only football can supply in real life, though it looked as if it would not end quite so happily as the Gym struggled against their in-form opponents. Jean-Louis Gasset's men arrived at the Allianz Riviera without pressure and with the determination to shine and dominate. They did, registering 53% possession at the break (47% at the final whistle), a rare feat for a visiting team this season.

They also took advantage of a stroke of fortune on nine minutes when Arnaud Souquet's clearance struck Wylan Cyprien, and Steve Mounié was able to lash home a volley that laid the platform for an enterprising first-half display from the visitors. 

Led by the artistry of Ryad Boudebouz in a 4-5-1 system, they attacked incessantly, stretching the Nice defence. They created a number of promising situations, but did not make the most of them (Skhiri's header over the bar on 13 minutes, Cyprien and Mounir Obbadi's timely interventions inside their own penalty area on 23 and 25 minutes, Mounié and Boudebouz's misunderstanding on 31, Mounié's off-target volley on 39).

And Nice in all that? Rocked by the opening of the scoring, they took a good ten minutes to get into the game. Set up in a 4-3-3 with Obbadi in front of the defence, they played on the knife edge of wanting to equalise while not conceding a second. Led by Cyprien, they went on the front foot on the quarter-hour mark when Tassos Donis, making his first Ligue 1 start, curled a shot just wide of Laurent Pionnier's goal. Cyprien then unleashed a fierce shot that Pionnier needed two attempts to save (16').

Younes Belhanda almost equalised shortly after the half-hour mark, but the Morocco international, after he had been teed up by Obbadi, pulled his shot across the face of goal from the right-hand side (33').

Huge heart

Montpellier returned to the dressing room with the advantage, but as Nice have shown time and again this season, it takes a lot to knock them out. Cyprien's shot from 25 metres signalled their intent shortly after the break, and though Daniel Congré headed over (59') in a dangerous moment at the opposite end, Nice started to take control.

Cyprien lifted the crowd from their seats when he bent an effort goalwards, but the fans were to sit down disappointed as the ball skipped away from goal (62'). Valentin Eysseric struck the side-netting (65') as Lucien Favre's men got closer.

The Swiss coach then worked his magic, bringing on Le Bihan, who made an impact with his very first touch. The former Le Havre striker, sidelined by injury for the last 17 months, clipped a peerless first-time shot into the net to level and bring players and fans together in a delirious communal celebration.

CSpurred on, Nice excelled themselves, and it was again a moment of magic from their number 10 that did the trick. Le Bihan, set up by Souquet, crashed home another first-time effort five minutes from time to send his people wild. 

It was a dream return, and a winning one, though a post helped out in the dying seconds, repelling Boudebouz's free-kick as Nice took second place in the table, and moved level on points with leaders Monaco.

C.D.

 

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