The impossible had to be achieved. The Gym believed in it but couldn’t succeed. Enterprising, they were punished by Lokomotiv Moscow’s efficiency (0-1). The 2017/2018 Europa League campaign ends in the round of 32.
Everything was there except the essential: efficiency. Despite the frozen field and the broken thermometer (-15°), the Aiglons had the merit of starting the match as they had announced: taking the lead to make up for their first-leg deficit (a 2-3 defeat at the Allianz). Super Mario excelled twice solo early in the exchanges: launching a torpedo from 25 meters and a free kick from a bit closer. Both attempts hit the crossbar (11’ and 19’) and, if the cold hadn’t clipped the wings of the crows, they surely would have been hovering over the Aiglons, to toll the bell of their continental wanderings this season.
Positioned in a classic 4-3-3, with Perraud on the left in defense, the men from the Côte played freely from the start. Offensive and aware of their capabilities. They found good passes, pushed forward. They had the misfortune of not scoring (Lees-Melou lacked promptness on a Burner cross (25’), Cyprien and Balotelli shot over (42’, 45’)) and collapsed on the first shot on target by the opponent. A symbol of the current woes.
A train that starts slowly always ends up plowing through everything in its path. Loko thus finished the first half ahead. The reason? A confused action concluded by a strike from Denisov, which deceived Benitez (1-0, 30’). Before that, Anton Miranchuk missed a duel against the Argentinian goalkeeper, lacking precision (27’).
Urged on by a fervent crowd, comforted by the scenario of this double confrontation, the Railroaders only had to sit back and close the negotiations to advance. They nonetheless tried to definitively kill the suspense at the restart on the pitch. Ari saw his header deflected by Dante (46’), Aleksei Miranchuk found Benitez’s gloves (48’). Behind, Saint-Maximin, Balotelli, and Plea successively clashed with Guilherme’s reach before the hour mark.
The Aiglons threw all their forces into the fight, playing very high (the defense taking position at midfield). Benitez maintained a glimmer of hope by deflecting a shot from Aleksei Miranchuk with his foot (65’), the red and black post hit an attempt from his brother off-frame (67’), but the mission became impossible.
The Russian 4-4-1-1, disciplined like an army, accepted one-on-ones in the corridors but locked the axis double bolted, always in numerical superiority. And as soon as they ventured out of base, always in groups of 3 or 4, the soldiers posed a threat. Despite several opportunities on both sides, nothing further was scored.
In a polar winter, at the borders of the continent, OGC Nice concludes its European campaign.
And despite the harshness of the conditions, one cannot help but think that football is fully experienced in this kind of rendezvous. Now, there remains the challenge to disrupt the currently established hierarchy in the championship to experience it again after the summer. A beautiful challenge.
LUCIEN FAVRE’S REACTION
We created chances, especially in the first half, one or two in the second. The problem is that we didn’t score during our strong moments. We hit the crossbar, the post, they scored on the counter. We knew what needed to be done to move on. In the second half, we tried, but we couldn’t. It’s not a disappointing match. We believed in it today, anything was possible in football. If a post or a bar had gone in… But it’s clear that the first leg hurt us. When you lose 3-2 at home it’s tough. There are regrets over both matches. With more realism, we could have done it.
WYLAN CYPRIEN’S REACTION
At home, we paid cash for our mistakes. And tonight, experience made the difference. We were well in the match and unfortunately hit the crossbar twice. They had few chances, but managed to score before locking the game. That’s the difference between them and us.
