Ligue 1 McDonald's Matchday 26

1 : 3

Wahi (76')

Moffi (11')

Thuram (53')

Moffi (67')

Match report

Le Gym get back on track! (1-3)

Thanks to a brace from Moffi and a goal by Thuram, OGC Nice won 3-1 in Lens in Ligue 1's Round 26.

This Nice side has character! This Nice side are all action and did what it took to get all three points at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis; OGC Nice emerged 3-1 winners in their Ligue 1 clash with Lens in Round 26. Ahead at half-time thanks to Terem Moffi (0-1, 11'), Le Gym scored twice in the second half, through Thuram (0-2, 53') and... Moffi, who calmly converted his penalty (0-3, 67') to complete a brace - as he did in the first clash between the sides this season. Wahi reduced the deficit forthe hosts in the final quarter of an hour (76'), but it remained a convincing win for Nice, with Francesco Farioli's team leap-frogging their opponents on the night and landing in provisional fourth place ahead of the weekend's other matches.

At kick-off, the Tuscan coach made three changes to his starting XI from Wednesday's cup defeat to Paris, with Moffi at the top of the attack, Cho on the right and Perraud at left-back. Bułka, Lotomba, Todibo, Dante (c), Sanson, Rosario, Thuram and Boga made up the rest of the Nice team, lined up in a 4-3-3 formation.

Moffi gives Le Gym an ideal start

Les Niçois got off to a flying start. From the very first seconds, Le Gym began to push forward, with Rosario's shot fizzing wide (1') before Sanson latched onto Boga's cross from the left and tried his luck (2'). Francesco Farioli's players were very much in the driver's seat, leaving Lens very few opportunities and taking advantage of the slightest gap to put them in danger. And the pressure from Nice was rewarded: in midfield, Cho got the better of Medina. The 20-year-old winger then raced goalward, laying it off to his left for Moffi. Clean through in the area, the Nigerian only had to tap the ball into the back of the net (0-1, 11').

Les Sang et Or looked to hit back quickly. Served well by Aguilar, Sotoca volleyed wide (15'). But Nice, who had been rigorous and serious from the start of the match, managed to hold on to their advantage with some steely defending - typified by Rosario's tackle on Pereira da Costa's cross (19') - and lively attacking play. After winning the ball high up the pitch once again, Moffi tried to return to he favour for Cho, who saw his effort in the box go wide of Samba's goal. On the half-hour mark, Morgan Sanson, visibly injured, made way for Tom Louchet.

As the first half drew to a close, Lens increased the pressure on Le Gym's rearguard. But neither Wahi's shot (40'), Sotoca's attempt (41'), which was saved by Bułka, nor Pereira da Costa's chance (45') were able to penetrate the Nice defence. Our Aiglons thus returned to the dressing room with a one-goal lead courtesy of Terem Moffi.

Thuram saves the day for Les aiglons

After the break, the match went from strength to strength, with Lens intent on pulling level and Nice determined to take all three points. In the space of a minute, Le Gym had a massive roller coaster ride - first, they thought they had conceded an equaliser, but Wahi's goal was ruled out by VAR for offside (52'). Seconds later, shock turned to delirium thanks to Khephren Thuram. After Cho intercepted a poor pass from Papy Mendy just on the edge of the Lens area, he found Thuram, who burst through to side-foot past Samba for his first of the season and his ninth in 160 matches in a Nice jersey (0-2, 53').

A double for Moffi

After this second goal, Les Aiglons followed their game plan to the letter and stayed relatively safe at the back. After the hour-mark, Francesco Farioli made a number of changes: Laborde and Guessand replaced Cho, who had bagged two assists, and Boga. Lens were struggling to create chances at the start of the second half and Nice weren't holding back. From a corner by Perraud, Rosario was held back by Khusanov and the referee awarded a penalty to Le Gym. Terem Moffi made no mistake from the spot, slotting the ball past Samba for his ninth league goal of the season (0-3, 67'). Le Gym were three goals to the good!

However, the side who call the Stade Bollaert-Delelis home managed to reduce the deficit nine minutes later. Wahi opened the scoring for Lens with a close-range finish after Saïd had nodded down (1-3, 76'). In the final quarter of an hour, Le Gym dropped deep and defended their lead tooth and nail. Farioli made his final changes, with Mendy and Claude-Maurice coming on for Moffi and Rosario. Lens kept crossing and trying to score a second goal, but Nice were solid defensively, with Louchet deflecting efforts from Frankowski (78') and Saïd (87') for corners and Perraud making a number of inspired interventions. After an intense match, Les Aiglons emerged victorious.

International break before Nantes

After the international break, Francesco Farioli and his men take on Nantes at the Allianz Riviera in Ligue 1 Round 27 on Sunday 31 March. The match kicks off at 15:00.


Gallery

Lens 1-3 Nice in pictures
27/17

Photo gallery

Lens 1-3 Nice in pictures

Video highlights

Highlights : Lens 1-3 Nice
1/18

OGC Nice TV

Highlights : Lens 1-3 Nice

Match sheet

Ligue 1 McDonald's • Matchday 26
March 16 2024 21:00

In Lens

Stade Bollaert-Delelis

Stade Bollaert-Delelis - Lens
  • Samba
  • Danso
  • Gradit
    Remplacement
  • Medina
  • El Aynaoui
    Remplacement
  • Aguilar
    Remplacement Carton jaune
  • Frankowski
    Carton jaune
  • Mendy
    Remplacement
  • Sotoca
  • Wahi
    But
  • David Pereira da Costa
    Remplacement
  • Bulka
  • Lotomba
  • Perraud
    Carton jaune
  • Todibo
  • Dante
  • Sanson
    Remplacement
  • Rosario
    Remplacement Carton jaune
  • Thuram
    Carton jaune But
  • Boga
    Remplacement
  • Moffi
    Remplacement But
  • Cho
    Remplacement

Coach
Franck Haise

Substitutions

  • 46'

    Khusanov

    Gradit

  • 63'

    Diouf

    Mendy

  • 63'

    Saïd

    Aguilar

  • 76'

    Fulgini

    Pereira Da Costa

  • 76'

    Thomasson

    El Aynaoui

Unused Substitutes

Leca Haïdara Abdul Samed Guilavogui

Coach
Francesco Farioli

Substitutions

  • 31'

    Louchet

    Sanson

  • 60'

    Guessand

    Boga

  • 60'

    Laborde

    Cho

  • 82'

    Claude-Maurice

    Rosario

  • 82'

    Mendy

    Moffi

Unused Substitutes

Dupé Doumbouya Traoré Balde

Referee

Benoît
Bastien

Benoît Bastien

Bookings

Yellow cards

Aguilar (37') Khusanov (65') Thomasson (88')

Red cards

Bookings

Yellow cards

Thuram (40') Perraud (46') Rosario (78')

Red cards

Logo RC Lens

Stats

Logo OGC Nice

Ball Control

61%
40%

Shots

20
7

Shots on target

4
3

Completed passes

464
270

Offsides

3
2

Fouls committed

9
12

Yellow cards

4
3

Red cards

0
0