OGC Nice traveled this Saturday evening to the Stade de France to play the 105th final in history against FC Nantes.
It was the Aiglons who started this match better by pinning the Nantes team in their own half and maintaining good possession of the ball. After several attempts at crossing and passing combinations through the center of the field, the Niçois were already putting pressure on the Nantes goal, without creating any clear-cut chances. Antoine Kombouaré’s players tried to catch the Gym players on the counter, but the Azurean defense remained untroubled.
The first heated moment of this match came thanks to an individual feat from Amine Gouiri, who, after a superb control in the box, managed to make a difference. Unfortunately, the Niçois took one touch too many and couldn’t get off a shot.
Around the 20th minute, the Canaries started to really get a foothold on the ball. Blas had the first Brittany chance with a clever shot that tested Bulka.
A few minutes later, Gouiri created a second chance in this match. The former Lyon player was served by Boudaoui at the edge of the area and tried his luck towards the right of the goal, but Jean-Charles Castelletto managed to deflect it for a corner on the right.
This first half offered very little spectacle and few clear-cut opportunities, but the intensity was present in the duels and player activity on the field. Nevertheless, it was the Niçois who appeared more dangerous.
At the start of the second half, FC Nantes players showed a lot more will and tried to push forward more. This paid off immediately since, on a first-time cross from Quentin Merlin, Hicham Boudaoui handled the ball. The handball was not intentional, and the arm was only slightly raised, but Frappart pointed to the penalty spot. The Nantes captain and number 10 converted it, making it 1-0 to Nantes.
After conceding this goal, the Aiglons pushed forward, trying to make a difference on the flanks, but the Nantes defense consistently managed to come out on top.
The entire second half boiled down to a rather sterile possession from Nice, repeatedly trying to exploit the wings to deliver crosses into the box. Despite several offensive changes, the crosses were never accurate and couldn’t find the attackers.
The Gym did have a big chance just after the 70th minute. Khéphren Thuram found Amine Gouiri in the box, who went onto his right foot but was denied by Alban Lafont. The Nantes goalkeeper couldn’t hold the ball, which rebounded to Delort. The Algerian hit it on the rebound, but Lafont made another decisive save.
Twice, the Azurean supporters thought they would be awarded a penalty for two pushes in the area. First on Delort, then on Kluivert, but Frappart waved play on.
OGC Nice tried to equalize until the last minute with crosses, but the Canaries’ defenders were imperial in the air and always managed to clear the balls.
Thus, FC Nantes won this match and the 105th Coupe de France. The Aiglons conceded a silly goal just after halftime, and the offensive tactics set up to equalize never really troubled Nantes’ solid defense.
The Gym left Paris with great disappointment, as they will have to wait longer to see OGC Nice put an end to this 25-year trophy drought.
