The people of Nice were determined to reassure themselves after some rather disappointing performances in recent weeks, but it won’t be this Sunday since OGC Nice could only bring back one point from Bordeaux after a fairly balanced match.
The first half was largely dominated by the Bordeaux team, who began the game with a very specific tactic: pressing very high in Nice’s half, especially on the defenders who struggled to make plays and often retreated to Benitez. The Argentine goalkeeper experienced several scares during this first half with quick clearances under the threat of De Preville, for example.
The Bordeaux players pressed on, and after a turnover by Ounas, Toma Basic quickly projected into a counterattack. He managed to get past Dante and then Sarr, releasing De Preville, who faced Benitez one-on-one. The Nice goalkeeper rushed out of his area to tackle the ball but De Preville had anticipated the goalkeeper’s move and slightly pushed the ball forward. Benitez was caught off guard, and De Preville found himself in front of an empty net. Durmisi’s attempt to recover was not enough, and the French forward tucked the ball into the back of the net (21st minute).
It is noteworthy that in the first half, Nice only made two small crosses towards the penalty spot. This was insufficient to provide Dolberg with goal-scoring opportunities.
At the end of this first half, Bordeaux had the advantage on the scoreboard and were hardly troubled. Only a curled shot from Ounas made Benoit Costil shiver, as he watched the ball hit his crossbar.
In the second half, Nice realized the stakes of the match and liberated themselves offensively. Claude-Maurice then made multiple runs to find his teammates between the lines.
Finally, in the 57th minute, Moussa Wagué, found well on the right side, delivered a precise cross that reached Ounas at the edge of the box. With his back to the goal, the Algerian could only attempt an acrobatic shot. It paid off as the ball pierced Benoit Costil’s net. Nice was then back in the game.
The rest of the second half was quite balanced between the two teams, with each taking turns creating dangerous opportunities.
However, neither team managed to take the lead again on the scoreboard, and the match ended with a 1-1 draw.
In the standings, Nice finds themselves in 9th position with 38 points, before facing Monaco in the derby next Saturday.
