This Sunday, OGC Nice hosted Brest as part of the 20th round of Ligue 1. The two teams ended with a score of (2-2). Trailing at halftime, the Aiglons managed to snatch a draw at the end of the match, despite a controversial penalty.
OGC Nice showed mental strength and determination for this Ligue 1 match! Initially trailing due to a controversial penalty converted by Romain Del Castillo in the 15th minute, followed by a goal from Kamory Doumbia in the 23rd minute. The Aiglons then faced a strong phase from Brest. In the second half, the Niçois displayed a new spirit. The entrance of young Kaïl Boudache allowed the Aiglons to create interesting play phases but they were not enough to score the first goal. It wasn’t until the 63rd minute that Nice scored their first goal. From a free kick by Jonathan Clauss, Ali Abdi scored with a header, reducing the gap to 2–1. Eight minutes later, after a long pass by Jonathan Clauss again, Kevin Carlos combined with Elye Wahi, who raced towards the goal to score the second. Despite other opportunities for Nice, the score remained unchanged. With this draw, Nice remains in 13th place in the league, eight points ahead of the relegation playoff spot held by Nantes. Brest, on their part, remain in 12th place with 22 points.
A Controversial Penalty
The match was refereed by Stéphanie Frappart. Already criticized for her officiating during Rennes vs Lyon, the referee was booed by the crowd at the announcement of her name by the announcer. The boos didn’t stop there; in the 15th minute, Ludovic Ajorque attempted a cross into the box that hit Dante’s arm. Ms. Frappart then pointed to the penalty spot, a decision deemed incomprehensible by the players. Salis Abdul Samed received a yellow card for protesting. Asked about the issue in a press conference, the OGC Nice coach Claude Puel expressed his dissatisfaction: “Tonight, I completely disagree with the referees’ decisions, and I’ll leave it at that.” On the other hand, Brest’s coach Eric Roy also commented on the penalty: “These are the rules unfortunately; it’s a stroke of luck. For me, these situations are not very football-like.” This new penalty makes Brest temporarily the team with the most penalties awarded this season (8).
Next week, Nice will face Montpellier at home for their next match in the Coupe de France, on Wednesday, February 4th at 8:30 PM. The Aiglons will then host Monaco in the Côte d’Azur Derby on Sunday, February 8th at 3:00 PM.
