Ligue 1: OGC Nice finally beats Lille!

Thanks to a brace from Mohammed Amoura, OGC Nice beat LOSC (2-1) this Sunday afternoon. Despite a tense final ten minutes, the Gym finally launched their season just before the break.

326 days ! For nearly a year, OGC Nice has been chasing a home victory in Ligue 1. This Sunday, the Eagles returned to the Allianz Riviera this Sunday, as part of the 5th day of the championship, to face Lille with the ambition of finally launching their season. For nearly a year, three points have systematically eluded the Nice side at home. You have to go back a bit to find traces of a Nice success at home at that time, the Gym was still operating under the direction of Franck Haise. That evening of October 29, 2025, Jonathan Clauss and his teammates had won against… LOSC (2-0). Since then, underperformances, draws and disappointments have become the watchwords within the red and black arena.

Bottom of the standings at the start of this match, OGC Nice already finds itself in urgent need to react and pick up points before the first international break of the season. For this fixture, Olivier Pantaloni decided to play the continuity card. Despite the poor Nice run, the same red and black eleven defeated at Auxerre last week (0-1), was retained by the Gym coach. Gautier Hein, Mohammed Amoura and Elye Wahi were still paired up on the front of the Azure attack. Axel Wistel, meanwhile, wore the captain’s armband for Jonathan Clauss, who had been carrying the precious symbol since the start of the season.

OGC Nice at their best

The first opportunity of the match was to the credit of the Eagles. After a superb run, Djibril Coulibaly thought he had opened the scoring but the midfielder’s shot ended up in the side netting. Then came the Elye Wahi episode: the first face-to-face was lost by the Ivorian international – eventually flagged as offside – and he then came up against the opposing keeper after a superb assist from Mohammed Amoura. Facing one of the best teams of the early season, Nice pushed and eventually got their reward.

The Algerian international was still involved in breaking the deadlock (1-0, 22′). With a sublime outside of the foot, deflected by a Lille defender, Mohammed Amoura gave his side the advantage. Olivier Pantaloni‘s men were rewarded for their efforts in this first half. If everything wasn’t perfect, the Gym found its colors in its collective spirit, in its solidarity and in its values. Without luck, Elye Wahi came close to doubling the lead but found the post in his way. Forty-five frustrating first minutes for the Azure number nine.

A glorious day for Mohammed Amoura

After the break, the two teams traded blows. Yehvann Diouf shone on his line to keep his side ahead. In attack, the Nice players failed to score the breakaway goal. Niels Nkounkou failed to find the target, while Gautier Hein‘s shot was too weak to worry Berke Özer, the Dogues’ goalkeeper. Elye Wahi, again, failed to find the back of the net. This time, the Nice number 11’s lobbed ball was blocked in two times by the Lille keeper.

The hero of OGC Nice had a name this afternoon at the Allianz Riviera: Mohammed Amoura. On a lovely through ball from Gautier Hein, the Algerian international doubled the lead (2-0, 67′). With a sublime hook, the Gym’s summer signing left Berke Özer with no chance and scored his second goal of the match in an empty net. The Nice side pulled away at the best time! The Lille reduction of the gap through Ayase Ueda (2-1, 79′) changed nothing. Although the final ten minutes of the match promised to be breathless, the Eagles kept their heads down to preserve what would be their first victory of the season. Under pressure, Nice – led by an excellent Yehvann Diouf – did not crack. First win of the season for Olivier Pantaloni‘s men who finally launch their championship.

Now comes a long first international break of the season for the Gym. OGC Nice will be back on Sunday October 11 with a trip to Strasbourg for the 6th day of Ligue 1. Kick-off of the match at 3 p.m.