Eighteenth victory of the season for the Gym, which continues to establish itself as a credible contender for the title race. While waiting for the Monaco match tonight, Nice is co-leader of the championship.
Let’s be clear, this OGC Nice team has no intention of backing down! Thanks to its seventh away win of the season, the Gym is still on the heels of the two giants of our league.
In Burgundy, against a team currently in the playoff zone, the task promised to be tough. While the Dijon team was on a bad streak (4 defeats in 5 matches), their problems were mostly away from home, as Stade Gaston Gérard had managed to defeat Lyon and draw with Monaco.
So it was with calm and patience that the Gym entered the match. “Don’t falter” at the start of each half was a mantra often repeated by Lucien Favre in recent weeks. In a 4-3-3 formation with Balotelli making his return, the Eagles monopolized the ball early on (75% after 20 minutes). Although Balotelli was available and often laid the ball off to Eysseric or Belhanda, the local defense was locked down tightly, making it difficult for the Nice team to get into a good position in the opposing penalty area. The Red and Black then relied on long-range shots from Cyprien (23rd minute) or Belhanda (29th minute) without managing to hit the target.
The locals, missing their top scorer Diony (suspended), were timid, and only a masterful intervention by Dante in front of Tavares (12th minute) is worth mentioning. The Brazilian was even at the origin of the best opportunity for the Azureans, heading a corner from Seri, which Bela saved on the line (37th minute).
After this first half played at a slow pace, the game picked up a bit after the break. The Eagles tried to stretch the play on the wings but also left more spaces. Balotelli was the first to stand out with a nice strike from 25 meters, perfectly saved by Reynet (55th minute). Lees-Melou narrowly missed the opening goal on a drifting cross from Abed (56th minute).
Nice wove its web by choking the locals with quick passing combinations, but put itself in danger with technical mistakes. On one such occasion, Sammaritano stole the ball on the left side, won his duel against Baysse, but, trapped along the goal line, couldn’t find the target (59th minute).
Time was ticking, and the Gym made the difference thanks to two of its key players in recent weeks. Lucien Favre had just repositioned his team in a 4-2-3-1, with Valentin Eysseric on the left and Wylan Cyprien on the right. The first player, with a superb 40-meter cross-field pass, set up the second, February’s Player of the Month Wylan Cyprien, who raced like a rocket to score a goal reminiscent of the one that secured the Eagles’ victory at Moustoir 15 days ago. The Guadeloupean could celebrate his goal in front of the 500 Nice supporters who had traveled across France to support their team (69th minute).
There were 20 minutes left to play, and while they didn’t manage to seal the game, the Red and Black managed not to falter. “We know we’re solid when we defend together,” testified Arnaud Souquet after the final whistle. Despite a few attacks without conviction from the locals, Yoan Cardinale was never troubled and brought back a new clean-sheet, synonymous with another victory for a Nice team that continues its exceptional journey!
The stat: 12
As in the number of Gym victories with a one-goal margin this season. Out of eighteen wins, it shows that Nice, even if not overwhelmingly dominant, is capable of winning matches. It’s somewhat what’s called “the luck of the champion.”
Lucien Favre’s reaction
“This victory is good to take. We remained patient, knowing that Dijon was dangerous. It has been hard for all teams here, for Marseille, Monaco, Lyon, etc. The difficulty of this match was not a surprise for me. We came close to being led 1-0; they were dangerous all the time. Dijon played the kind of game I’ve seen them play against quite a few teams, managing to cause trouble. A well-grouped, disciplined 4-4-2, a bit cautious but with good pressing. To be more dangerous, we needed to play faster or break through with the ball at our feet. We couldn’t get upset because that’s the quickest way to concede a counterattack. It was incredibly difficult, but it will continue that way. But our ambition remains intact, to win, to score one more goal than the opponent.”
Arnaud Souquet’s reaction
“It was a tough match; we expected it. It will be the case for every game until the end of the season. It’s nice to have the support of many supporters. In the second half, Dijon pressed more, but we managed to withstand a strong period. Once we were leading, we know we are sturdy at the back when everyone defends. At halftime, the coach told us to use the wings more. We should congratulate Dijon, who worked hard to bother us by blocking the axis. It’s good, we have to keep going.”
