The match had all the signs of a trap game, but the Gym pulled through. Thanks to a goal by Lees-Melou, Nice moves back into the top 10.
Without an away victory since early November with a win in Nîmes, the Aiglons aimed to take advantage of an away match against a struggling team on their home ground to try to catch up to the leading pack. Currently in the relegation zone, Dijon started with an offensive lineup, sharing with the Gym the eighteenth attack in Ligue 1 at kickoff.
But, aside from the opening minutes, notably with a floating strike by Sammaritano that went just wide (4th minute), the hosts rarely managed to pose a threat.
On the Nice side, Danilo made a quick impression, but his header hit the post (10th minute). Right before the break, it was once again the Brazilian whose powerful shot was saved by Runarsson (45th minute).
The second half was more lively, with a first twist right after the start: Sammaritano was sent off for a second yellow card following a simulation. The match could have swung either way at that point, but it was the Niçois who capitalized.
A few minutes after the sending-off, Sacko was well launched deep but saw his shot stopped by Runarsson. Lees-Melou followed up and curled the ball from twenty meters into the empty net (0-1, 60th minute).
The Gym seized the lead and held strong, even creating a chance to double their lead when Danilo (once again) was fouled in the opponents’ box. The awarded penalty was later overturned after a VAR review.
In stoppage time, the Gym was under pressure, besieged in their box by Dijon. Yet, after an interminable stoppage time, Nice ultimately emerged victorious in Burgundy.
In the standings, the Aiglons climbed to seventh place and can breathe easier. Behind them, Montpellier trails by two points, while Reims is also two points ahead. Europe remains within reach, although it will be challenging for the Aiglons to secure it.
PATRICK VIEIRA’S REACTION
“It’s satisfying to have won away from home; it had been a long time since we last did. We came here with the desire to do well, against a team that also had the same ambition. We were defensively solid, and our forwards made a significant sacrifice for the team. For European qualification, this victory puts us in a position to dream. So, we will continue dreaming.”
PIERRE LEES-MELOU’S REACTION
“We told ourselves that if we wanted to believe in something by the end of the year, it depended on winning here. It’s done. Maybe not with style, but we’ll take the 3 points, that’s the most important. In the first half, we were well-positioned defensively, but we lacked aggression upfront. We needed to play our chances better. We exploited the opportunity we had to score and will be content with that.”
DANILO’S REACTION
“I believe it was a clear penalty; he touched me! The replay eventually overturned it. Personally, I’m progressing, as is the team. I’m here to help to the maximum.”
