OGC Nice snatched a draw against Marseille at the Stade Vélodrome on Sunday evening. Elye Wahi equalised for Les Aiglons with a magnificent Panenka in the final minutes (1-1).

They never gave up until the very end! Still locked in a fierce battle to stay in Ligue 1, the Aiglons once again showed their spirit and collective strength in a difficult match on Sunday evening. Having withstood Lille’s waves of attacks last week (Matchday 30, 0-0) and defeated Strasbourg in the Coupe de France on Wednesday (0-2), Claude Puel’s men silenced the Orange Vélodrome at the end of Matchday 31. Facing an opponent determined to win in order to qualify for the Champions League next season, the Rouge et Noir were not intimidated and did not panic despite the adverse circumstances.

LE GYM REACT WELL

Despite being pinned back and rattled by a Marseille goal shortly after the hour mark, Elye Wahi and his teammates weathered the storm. Booed, taunted and jeered, the Nice striker received no mercy from his former teammates. Nor did he show them any. Facing the boos of the Marseille crowd, Le Gym’s winter signing responded perfectly to the taunts of goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli by slotting home a delightful Panenka from the penalty spot to level the scores (1-1, 88’). A seventh goal in 15 matches across all competitions in the Nice shirt, and his third in four days following his magical brace at the Meinau, allowed Wahi to round off a fantastic week for himself and a positive one for the team. Les Aiglons now sit five points clear of the relegation play-off spot, held by Auxerre, with three games remaining in the season.

But before this thrilling finale, OGC Nice, as has often been the case recently, suffered. Under pressure from a suffocating opponent, the Aiglons relied on an ultra-solid back line, led again by the imposing central defensive trio of Antoine Mendy, Juma Bah and Kojo Peprah Oppong. The three defenders won numerous aerial duels, supported by Yéhvann Diouf when needed. The Senegalese international goalkeeper shone by parrying Arthur Vermeeren’s powerful header (5') and then tipping Leonardo Balerdi’s header over the crossbar (27'). Struggling to launch any counterattacks, Nice had little impact in attack during a first half dominated by the home side at the Vélodrome.

Things could have taken a turn shortly after the break during five frantic minutes in front of the Marseille goal: a header from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang that went just wide (48'), a shot from Tochukwu Nnadi deflected at the last moment by Antoine Mendy (50'), a point-blank header from Leonardo Balerdi (51')... Marseille’s chances kept coming, and Yéhvann Diouf finally cracked in the 66th minute, when Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, unmarked at the far post, met a cross from the right with an unstoppable diving header (1-0, 66').

WAHI RESPONDS ON THE PITCH

With the odds seemingly stacked against them, Coach Puel’s side refused to give up. Throwing everything into it, the Rouge et Noir stormed back in the closing stages, coming very close to equalising through Kaïl Boudache, whose header from a Melvin Bard cross should have found the net, as Rulli had left his line after being caught out by Le Gym’s left-back (70’). Despite the blow, Nice held firm and, just as at the Meinau, eventually won a penalty in the dying moments. Jonathan Clauss went down in the box after being tripped, giving Wahi the chance to respond on the pitch to his opponents' provocations. With great class, the No. 11 sent the thousands of Nice supporters gathered in front of their screens into jubilation and relief with his equaliser (1-1, 88').

What followed? Added time that was perfectly managed by Le Gym, with two saves by Diouf from long-range efforts by Mason Greenwood, before the final whistle brought relief to the brave and united Aiglons on Marseille soil. With the final three matches of the 2025-26 Ligue 1 season approaching, they sit five points clear of the relegation zone. A reassuring cushion, but not yet enough. They will need to build on it against Lens next week (2 May, 9:05pm).

Hugo Rondet