The Nice players were unfazed at Geoffroy Guichard and secured a new victory (0-1) against a Saint-Etienne side that was too unadventurous in their play.
Overtaken this weekend on goal difference by Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain, the Red and Black knew they were expected to prove themselves against Saint-Etienne this Sunday evening. The Greens, undefeated in Ligue 1 for 6 matches, were keen to topple the Nice leader for the second consecutive time in Ligue 1.
While Gym organized themselves in a 4-3-3 (or 4-3-2-1), ASSE presented a defense of five. Deprived of the ball by the Nice players (possession of 63/37 at the break), Galtier’s men didn’t seem to want to push beyond their half of the field, likely warned of the Gym’s danger on quick attacks. Consequently, the first half was tactical and closed. Mika Seri was the first to make an impact following a run down the line by Ricardo and a superb back pass from the Portuguese, but the Nice midfielder was thwarted by Stéphane Ruffier (29th minute). His Nice counterpart Yoan Cardinale also showcased his skills with a fine save against Nolan Roux (33rd minute).
Late Awakening for Nice
Solid during the initial act, the Gym knew how to “sting” at the hour mark. Accustomed to opening the score quickly, the Eagles had to wait until the 62nd minute and an attack from the left led by Belhanda and Dalbert. After a poor clearance by Veretout, Eysseric recovered the ball at the edge of the box. The player, who was on loan to ASSE last season, curved around Perrin and struck a left-footed shot into Ruffier’s top corner, who could do nothing (0-1, 63rd minute). A nice revenge for someone who had his first season at Nice stopped by an uncontrolled tackle on Jérémy Clément (season 2012-2013).
Despite several great opportunities for the tireless Alassane Pléa, whose shots flirted with the post (65th, 67th minutes), whose header was saved by Ruffier (68th minute), and whose toe-poke after a fine run was blocked by Malcuit (85th minute), Nice held strong. That slim advantage allowed ASSE to keep hoping until the last moments, but Gym, serene, solid, and diligent, did not concede a single shot on target for the whole second half.
Thus, Nice regains its position as leader following a new victory, with a three-point lead over PSG and Monaco. Next week promises to be explosive with the reception of Bastia for a new derby, while Paris travels to Lyon and Monaco hosts Marseille. But before that, another “final” looms: the trip to Schalke on Thursday in the Europa League.
The Stat: 35
As in the total possession of Saint-Etienne. Starved of the ball by Nice, they recorded their lowest possession rate in a Ligue 1 match this season.
Lucien Favre’s Reaction:
“On the whole match, the victory is deserved. We suffered. We had ball losses in dangerous areas. Saint-Etienne could have scored. It could have been costly. We needed to play and defend well also. That’s what we tried to do. We could have scored a 2-0 more quickly, but let’s not forget that at 0-0, Roux missed a very important header. It would have been difficult being behind against a very tough and well-organized team.”
Jean-Pierre Rivère’s Reaction:
“The biggest absence for me tonight is our supporters. It’s a shame. In Nice, we have a project and they are absolutely part of it. Now, we will have to make decisions because it is no longer possible to prohibit our supporters from traveling. It’s been 2 years since absolutely nothing has happened in Nice: there is a great atmosphere, it’s festive, when we play away in European Cups they travel in numbers and support the team. It’s a shame they are not here with us to share this moment. It’s truly regrettable.”
Yoan Cardinale’s Reaction:
“This victory is a great relief. We wanted to make up for the defeat at Caen. We wanted to do well concerning the travel ban on the supporters. We managed well. There was room to win more broadly, to score a second goal. But the essential thing is to score once more than the opponent. We are focusing on ourselves, without looking at PSG, Monaco, or Lyon. We put the last two defeats behind us to start again properly.”
