Facing Lazio Rome, OGCN failed to raise its level of play. On a waterlogged pitch, the players from Nice were overrun from all sides.
Under pouring rain, OGCN played its second Europa League match. After the game against Real Sociedad last week, the team traveled to Rome this time to face Lazio, which chose to rotate its squad, with starts for Matรฉo Guendouzi, Taty Castellanos, Mario Gila, and the inclusion of substitute goalkeeper Christos Mandas.
Franck Haise decided to line up the young Tom Louchet on the left side and to have Hicham Boudaoui, who was already a starter in Lens last weekend, play again.
The first chance was credited to Matias Vecino, with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, but it didn’t really trouble Marcin Bulka. Nice defended by pushing forward, but with a clever move, Pedro came very close to making the net tremble, before a defensive intervention thwarted this opportunity. On the subsequent corner, Taty Castellanos hit the post with a header. Lazio maintained the pressure, this time through Marusic, whose deflected shot hit the crossbar.
The Italians pressed on and, from another corner, logically opened the scoring. A first header was saved by Jonathan Clauss, but the ball came back to Pedro, who beat the Nice goalkeeper with a magnificent curling shot (21st minute).
Lazio dominated, but Nice finally reacted with a shot from Badredine Bouanani, well stopped by the Biancocelesti goalkeeper. However, a defensive error allowed the Italians to extend their lead (36th minute). Youssouf Ndayishimiye lost control, enabling Castellanos to pounce from behind him (2-0). Nice responded through the Moukoko-Boga duo, who combined well, with Boga finishing to narrow the gap (2-1 in the 41st minute). Nice ended the first half well but generally lacked aggression.
Lazio with the experience
After the break, Marco Baroni brought in two key players, including his usual captain Mattia Zaccagni and Nicolo Rovella, indicating that the closing minutes of the first half had left an impression on the Roman players. But the Italians resumed with great intensity. Rovella broke through the first defensive line of the Gym by serving Castellanos, who celebrated his birthday with a brace from a magnificent cross-shot. Marcin Bulka was helpless (3-1).
Playing conditions further deteriorated with an increasingly heavy downpour. Lazio, experienced at the highest level, controlled the proceedings in these tough conditions. Ten minutes later, Rovella and Castellanos combined once again to outsmart the Nice defense. The Nice goalkeeper came out but slightly collided with the Spanish striker. After a review, the referee awarded a generous penalty. Mattia Zaccagni capitalized to score as well (4-1).
In the last twenty minutes, Franck Haise decided to rotate his squad in preparation for the match against PSG, but the entrances of Tanguy Ndombele, Evann Guessand, Ali Abdi, Mohamed-Ali Cho, and Sofiane Diop would change nothing.
The Nice team left Rome with doubts (4-1) before facing PSG this Sunday at 9 p.m.
