OGC Nice were beaten by Strasbourg at the Stade de la Meinau on Saturday on Matchday 28 of Ligue 1 (3–1). Antoine Mendy scored the only goal for the Les Aiglons in the 82nd minute.

After a ten-day break, Nice returned to action in Alsace on Saturday. Now entering the final sprint in their fight to avoid relegation, Claude Puel’s men were outplayed by a talented Strasbourg side, who were clinical in both penalty areas and capable of deciding the match in just 15 minutes at the end of the first half. Despite a positive start, some promising  chances, and a tactical switch (Le Gym lined up in a 4-4-2 with Tom Louchet and Isak Jansson returning to the starting XI), they failed to convert their strong start into a goal.

A SOLID START BUT A COSTLY QUARTER-HOUR

Sofiane Diop missed a great chance to open the scoring after a high turnover by Hicham Boudaoui. However, pressured by Andrew Omobamidele’s recovery, he couldn’t finish despite being in an ideal position inside the box (2’). Jansson, back from an injury that kept him out since the trip to Lyon on 15 February, also had an opportunity to get Nice going, but his header from a good cross by Jonathan Clauss went off target (11’).

While Nice’s start to the match was strong, particularly in terms of pressing, Morgan Sanson and his teammates quickly struggled defensively against the bursts of Martial Godo. Unstoppable, the Strasbourg forward saw a curling shot narrowly miss Yéhvann Diouf’s top corner (8’), before his first header hit the crossbar (24’).

His second attempt was successful: the Ivorian international found the net just before the half-hour mark (1–0, 28’). That opener destabilised Nice. Full of confidence, Strasbourg pushed harder and Nice collapsed. Sent through on goal, Julio Enciso beat Juma Bah in a duel, rounded Diouf, and finished into an empty net (2–0, 36’). Then Samir El Mourabet produced a stunning strike following a poorly cleared corner, sending the ball straight under the crossbar (3–0, 42’).

MENDY DETERMINED AND ON THE SCORESHEET

Shaken after that disastrous 15-minute spell, Nice never managed to regain control of the match despite multiple substitutions from Claude Puel, who brought on Dante, Charles Vanhoutte, Mohamed-Ali Cho, Ali Abdi and Kaïl Boudache.

Strasbourg kept possession of the ball and could have increased their lead if Diouf hadn’t denied Gessime Yassine (61’). Played at a much slower tempo, the second half was nevertheless marked by Antoine Mendy pulling one back. As determined as ever, the centre-back tried his luck from distance and scored his second goal of the season, after the one against Montpellier in the Coupe de France (3–2). It wasn’t enough to spark a late comeback.

In the league table, Nice remain provisionally 15th, five points clear of the relegation play-off spot occupied by Auxerre, who face Le Havre on Sunday. Nice will face that same opponent next week at the Allianz Riviera (Sunday 12 April at 5.15pm).

Hugo Rondet