After securing a valuable away victory against Gap (2-3), Nice faced defeat against Bordeaux during the 8th day of the Ligue Magnus championship. The match was very physical and full of twists. The team from the French Riviera managed to come back from a three-goal deficit only to concede in the last 10 minutes of the game.
A one-sided first period
The first period was not very glorious for the home team, who can thank their goalkeeper for a series of reflex saves. Less than three minutes into the match, a Nice player was given a two-minute penalty for a late hit. With the numerical advantage, the Bordeaux waves crashed against the Nice goal. The red and blacks could only try to counter-attack to change the course of the game. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the visitors opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a long-range shot into the top corner. Seconds later, the crowd nearly witnessed a full brawl due to an ill-tempered gesture from a Nice defender.
Inaccurate offense
The defeat is bitter for Stanislav Sutor’s men. Several times, an attacker found himself alone in front of the goal, but without success. The lack of precision was evident, especially in the second period. Bordeaux executed quick ball recoveries to quickly put themselves in the best positions. The players moved from side to side to create an advantage in numbers. They were quickly rewarded with two goals in under six minutes. At (3-0), the red and blacks did not dwell on their misfortune and managed to score in the 35th minute (1-3) through Ondrej Kopta, who secured a brace a few minutes later. At this moment, the crowd at Jean-Bouin gave their voices again to encourage their team. Hope was short-lived (for the moment), as the Eagles conceded a fourth goal and lost a player to a severe collision.
The roles reverse…
As they returned from the locker room, the red and blacks played a more offensive game, pushing the defense back. A few minutes were enough to level the score (4-4) and ignite the Jean-Bouin arena. The crowd was on fire, rising as one to support their players.
…But it’s not enough
The visitors quickly bounced back and implemented more effective counter-attacks than those of the Eagles. After hitting the left post in the 47th minute, Bordeaux regained the lead with a goal in the lower corner from Loik Poudrier, following a stunning back pass that bypassed three defenders (4-5). Nice continued to push to salvage a draw by pulling their goalkeeper during attacking phases. It would not be enough, and Poudrier took advantage to score his third personal goal seven seconds from the end, sealing the match score (4-6).
In the standings, Bordeaux (7th) moves ahead of Nice (8th) on goal difference, both having nine points each.
