Just a few days after their performance against Bordeaux, Nice put on another offensive display at Geoffroy Guichard. The Nice team scored four goals, including a fantastic brace by Hatem Ben Arfa. The only downside of the evening: the two harsh red cards received by Mendy and then Le Marchand.
He was brilliant once again. A perfectly timed pass for Pereira’s cross on the first goal and then two masterpieces. Hatem Ben Arfa’s first half at Saint-Etienne was a real treat. At one all in the 39th minute, the Nice forward propelled his team ahead with an exceptionally controlled volley. From a Pied cross from the right, Pogba slightly touches the ball which reaches the far post. Ben Arfa’s control isn’t perfect, and the ball is slightly too far behind. No matter, the former Lyon player adjusts his position perfectly and shoots into Stéphane Ruffier’s opposite bottom corner.
But the number nine of the Eaglets did not stop showcasing his class. As remarkable as his volley was, it almost seemed insignificant before his second goal. Despite five defenders in his path, Ben Arfa dribbled his way into the Saint-Etienne box. His impressive speed of execution matched the technical precision of his finishing. On his weaker foot, the right, the Nice genius crossed perfectly and once again hit Ruffier’s bottom corner. Although pleasing in their midfield play, Claude Puel’s team clearly owed their two-goal half-time lead to Ben Arfa’s talent alone.
Nice, at home away from home
Before Ben Arfa’s surge, Nice collectively started their match very well. Even better, the Eaglets opened the score very quickly, after just three minutes. The combinations on the left side worked well between Ben Arfa and Pereira. The Portuguese full-back delivered a powerful cross that landed perfectly in the box. Vincent Koziello was on the end of it and got ahead of Bamba to strike. The first Ligue 1 goal for a kid who is more than ever indisputable in Nice’s midfield.
A midfield that seized the ball from the Greens. At the break, the Gym even had nearly sixty percent of ball possession. An impressive total for an away game, especially against PSG’s current runner-up. The conceded goal came from an individual exploit. Fabien Lemoine’s massive strike after a poor clearance by the Nice defense was deflected by Hassen onto the bar, but Perrin followed up and equalized in the 19th. By the thirtieth minute, the Greens had their only chance to turn the match around. Malcuit crossed for Beric; forgotten at six meters, the Slovenian striker headed it too much off target.
After this scare in the heart of the defense, Nice resumed their forward march. The Gym asserted their collective superiority and controlled the ball. The full-backs played increasingly high, while Seri and Mendy made many successful interventions to quickly cut off counterpossibilities. The midfield diamond completely suffocated the Saint-Etienne team. Before the break, Ben Arfa left them in awe.
Questionable officiating
At the start of the second half, Nice secured their lead with a fourth goal that stunned the Greens. Ben Arfa to Germain on the right, who passed to Seri in the center, who finished with some luck… The counter was also a model in a match where Nice’s realism was total.
Ultimately, the big downside of the evening comes from the suspensions of Mendy and Le Marchand for the next matchday. The Nice midfielder was first sent off in the 62nd minute after an exchange with Lemoine. The Saint-Etienne player committed a massive foul, and Mendy pushed him slightly. Lemoine’s simulation was exaggerated, but Mr. Varela was fooled and dismissed the young pillar of OGC Nice.
After 81 minutes, despite Mendy’s dismissal not having resulted in Nice losing possession, Lemoine broke into the box and got a completely logical penalty for a foul by Le Marchand. The referee’s red card was much less clear since the Nice defender’s challenge was not excessive. Bahebeck missed the penalty on what was a decidedly complicated evening for the local team. Nice, on the other hand, can regret the absence of two important players for the visit of Nantes. While everything worked tonight, the Eaglets will need to keep the momentum.
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