The Côte d’Azur Derby AS Monaco – OGC Nice delivered on all its promises with a spectacular 2-2 draw at the end of a lively and uncertain clash right up to the finish. Reduced to ten men as early as the 35th minute after Ali Abdi’s expulsion, the Eagles managed to earn the respect of their neighbors and nearly went home with all three points from the match…
Moreover, Franck Haise warmly congratulated his players at the end of the game for their heroic battle, both defensively and offensively. It wasn’t easy to achieve this at Stade Louis-II against a Monaco side that needed both points and confidence to bounce back. However, facing them were Eagles with a greater hunger and even more in need of that confidence factor to avoid faltering.
True to its combative temperament, OGC Nice quickly demonstrated that they were there to make an impact. The Eagles lined up a series of corners showcasing their offensive intentions, putting the Monaco defense on high alert. It was on one of these corners that Antoine Mendy placed the ball out of reach of Philipp Köhn, although it was unfortunately not counted due to the referee’s offside call. Nice was on the right track, and confidence grew with each build-up, even though the match was being played out as a manifest tactical battle.
It was only fair that the Niçois took the lead through a goal by Soufiane Diop in the 35th minute. Found on the left side of the box, the former Monaco player sent in a cross-shot that the Rock’s defenders failed to intercept. The ball ended up in the side netting beyond the Monaco goalkeeper!
The Price of Niçois’ Determination
Unfortunately, this determination from the Eagles came with a price, and it was the Tunisian international who bore the cost through an expulsion that threw Franck Haise’s plans into disarray. The former Caen player seemed to drag his studs across the stomach of Mika Biereth, resulting in the referee issuing a second yellow card to him. Nice, having just opened the score at Louis-II, would finish the match with ten men against eleven, forcing the coach to substitute Terem Moffi for the Nigerian Oppong.
The change proved effective since not only did the Eagles hold firm, but they also managed to score a deserved second goal from a penalty following a handball by Senegalese player Diatta. Moroccan international Sofiane Diop confidently doubled the score (0-2, 41’).
Perhaps embarrassed by his decision, the referee generously awarded Monaco a highly dubious penalty shortly before halftime. Ansu Fati took charge and struck powerfully, with Yehvann Diouf getting a touch but unable to deflect the ball. The former Barcelona player revitalized the contest at the right moment.
Two Referee Gifts for Monaco…
Bolstered by this gift from the referee, the Monégasques regained hope and tried to balance the match without really shaking a heroic Nice defense, despite being outnumbered. The game ignited once more, and the spectacle became even more enjoyable, with suspense reaching its peak. Once again, it was the match official who played a decisive role in this derby by awarding a third penalty (the second for Monaco), which shocked everyone present in the stadium as it was hardly apparent. Florian Balogun in the penalty area seemed, at least to the officials, to be unbalanced by Bombito. It was yet another controversial call!
Undaunted, the Eagles continued to harass the Monaco defense, unfazed by their teammate’s expulsion, posing threats on several occasions, like the header from substitute George Ilenikhena that went just wide (78th minute), much to the visible relief of the shaken Monégasques.
A Logical Result but Regrets for the Eagles
While this point-sharing reflects the overall balance of the encounter, both camps will have mixed feelings, especially the Niçois who could have gone home with all three points from the match if not for these questionable referee decisions. Beyond these disputes, what’s important to note is the balance and regained fighting spirit of the entire Nice team. This bodes well for promising days ahead in the coming weeks, provided Franck Haise and his staff can push the team to their best performance, as was the case tonight.
The Reaction
Franck Haise: “Deserved, yes, we were off to a good start. Before Abdi received two yellow cards… unfortunately very quickly, while we were doing well at 11 against 11. At that point in the match, we deserved to be ahead, we were well-organized. We managed to score the second goal at 10 against 11 on a brilliant play.
There was a first penalty, which was logical, and a second much less so. In addition to Moïse’s (Bombito) injury, which is a dark spot for us. It’s a difficult moment because he’s an important player, a very positive person. But I regret, I’ve watched the action 50 times, you can’t whistle this kind of incident so quickly. The images are quite clear: there is no penalty, there is never a penalty,” lamented the Nice coach.
