Le Gym suffered defeat on Sunday away to Paris FC (1-0). Munetsi scored the only goal of the game just before the half-hour mark and Nice lacked the cutting edge needed to get back into the game. With this loss, Nice drop one place in the table to 15th.

For the trip to PFC, Claude Puel made three changes from last weekend's draw against Lorient: Clauss replaced Mendy on the right side of defence, Bard took Abdi's place on the left, while Bah replaced Dante in central defence. Louchet, Cho, Dupé, Oppong, Vanhoutte, Sanson (captain), Diop and Kevin Carlos made up the rest of the Nice team, playing in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

A PENALTY OVERTURNED

OGC Nice started the game strongly and had a huge chance in the third minute: after a move by Cho on the right, Clauss crossed to the far post for Louchet, but the Nice midfielder failed to get his shot on target just in front of goal.

The Parisians then reacted, looking dangerous from a set piece (8') and then from a shot by Immobile that was saved by Dupé (13'). Nice thought they had won a penalty after a foul on Kevin Carlos, but the decision was ultimately overturned after VAR intervention (18').

Moments later, Paris FC opened the scoring. Simon struck the ball from the right, Dupé pushed it away, but Munetsi followed up and scored from close range to give the home side the lead (1-0, 26').

Trailing, Le Gym tried to respond and created a big chance. After a header from Cho in the box, Oppong controlled the ball with his chest before firing a shot with his right foot, but the Parisian goalkeeper made the save (36'). At half-time, Nice were trailing by a goal after a fairly even first half where both sides had their chances, but Antoine Kombouaré's team proved more clinical.

AIGLONS LOOK FOR THE EQUALISER

At the break, Claude Puel made his first substitution, bringing on Kaïl Boudache for Kevin Carlos. Nice struggled to get into the second half, facing a Parisian side that set the pace and moved the ball around. Dupé kept Le Gym alive with a fine save to tip Lees-Melou's shot from the edge of the box over for a corner (52').

But Les Aiglons tried to respond. After an hour of play, a fine team move ended with a blocked shot from Sanson, giving Le Gym a corner (62'). From the corner, Cho lost his balance as he struck the ball and Trapp gathered it (63'). Moments later, Clauss tried his luck in the box after some good work from Boudache, but the Parisian keeper pushed the shot away (68').

The Parisian substitutes caused problems for the Nice defence, with Krasso's powerful shot being turned away for a corner by Dupé (70'). Needing to respond, Nice then created another chance: Bernardeau was played in well by Gouveia and raced towards goal, but lost control of the ball as he was about to shoot, with Mbow closing him down (81').

In the final minutes, the Parisians continued to put pressure on Nice with Krasso's shot hitting the post (84') and Dupé intervening again to push Lees-Melou's free-kick out for a corner (87').

In added time, Bard tried his luck from a corner, but his shot went just over (90+3'). Shortly afterwards, De Smet received a second yellow card and was sent off (90+5'), but this did not change the outcome of the match. Nice were defeated.

FOCUS ON THE COUPE DE FRANCE

Next Wednesday, OGC Nice will face Lorient at the Stade du Moustoir in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France (kick-off at 8:30pm).