Ligue 1: OGC Nice overturns Brest!

Despite a long mixed performance and a penalty conceded in added time, OGC Nice won away at Stade Brestois (2-1), opening the 8th round of Ligue 1. Although the Gym conceded the opening goal, the Nice players managed to turn the situation around thanks to goals from Elye Wahi and Sofiane Diop.

Love, football and goals! This Friday, all thoughts around the Francis-le-Blé stadium could only be for him, Éric Roy. This match between Brest and Nice – opening the 8th round of Ligue 1 – took on a different turn this year, a different context, following the death of the former Brest coach last summer from a long illness. A native of Nice, King Éric had passed through the red and black house, as a player and then coach. The Côte d’Azur management wished, before the match, to pay him a new tribute. As if by fate, the two captains of the evening, Axel Witsel and Hugo Magnetti, also wore a commemorative armband in his honour. This initiative was to the credit of both Ligue 1 clubs. On the sporting side, OGC Nice had two missions: to bounce back after the defeat on OL’s pitch (1-2) and finally to secure a first championship victory away from home this season.

For this match, Olivier Pantaloni stuck with his tried and tested 3-4-3 formation. The only notable change in his starting eleven: Alidu Seidu – who arrived as a replacement on the Côte d’Azur – is rewarded with his first start and takes the place of Junior Mandza at the back. Mohamed Abdelmonem moves to the left of the defensive trio, while the Ghanaian international takes up a position on the right of OGC Nice’s three-man defence. In midfield, Hicham Boudaoui is once again preferred to Djibril Coulibaly to accompany Axel Witsel.

The Gym concedes the opening goal

Shaken by Brest’s commitment and initiatives, OGC Nice were under pressure at the start of the match. The Eagles were unable to get out of their own half. The dominant Stade Brestois would be rewarded for a huge error from Yehvann Diouf (0-1, 15′). In front of his penalty area, the Senegalese international – playing the role of first outlet – was robbed of the ball by Ludovic Ajorque. The Breton striker didn’t need anything more to open the scoring into an empty net. For the Nice goalkeeper, mistakes were piling up. He was already at fault last week on Lyon’s pitch after too easily releasing the ball. On Wednesday, Roger Ricort, the Gym’s sporting director, made an appearance at the press conference to defend his player against the numerous criticisms he had been subjected to. This error won’t help him!

Struggling tonight, the Gym couldn’t react. The same problems continued to affect Olivier Pantaloni’s players. At the front, OGC Nice were hampered by Elye Wahi, flagged for offside every time he was touched the ball. At the back, the technical failings of Yehvann Diouf instilled nervousness in his teammates, as in this situation where Kamory Doumbia missed the open goal after yet another poor save by the Côte d’Azur goalkeeper. Five minutes before half-time, we were closer to a breakaway goal than an unthinkable equaliser.

A stunning OGC Nice comeback

And as if that wasn’t enough, OGC Nice lost Jonathan Clauss at the start of the second half. The Nice full-back – who had been limping for several minutes – made way for young Hamza Koutoune for his fourth Ligue 1 appearance. Thrown into the deep end, the Moroccan winger was cautioned with a yellow card on one of his first defensive interventions. On the pitch, Olivier Pantaloni’s men were in a daze, and yet the Gym came back into the match (1-1, 61′). On a corner, Elye Wahi, more clever than his opponent at the far post, pushed the ball into the back of the net. Almost against the run of play, the Eagles were back in the contest for the rest of this match.

A few minutes later, Sofiane Diop – just brought on – saw his header fly over the opposition goal after a superb cross from Niels Nkounkou. Elye Wahi missed the ball by centimetres in the next situation. One thing was certain: OGC Nice were transformed after this equaliser and clearly showed their desire to claim all three points tonight. After a high recovery, Sofiane Diop was alert in Brest’s penalty area to give his side the advantage (2-1, 84′). Thanks to winning coaching from Olivier Pantaloni, the Nice players took the lead! The Eagles didn’t want to fall back but suffered in the final moments of the match. We thought it would end there, but no.

The final episode of a completely thrilling match played out in OGC Nice’s penalty area. After several VAR reviews, the referee awarded a penalty to Brest for a foul by Isak Jansson on a Brest player. A foul that was, moreover, unnecessary from the Swedish player, when Youssouf Ndayishimiye still seemed in position to intervene behind him. The last Côte d’Azur hopes rested on Yehvann Diouf. Like a beautiful story, the Gym goalkeeper threw himself magnificently in front of Kenny Lala. The Eagles’ number 23 donned the hero’s outfit after having been at fault on the opening goal.

Next match next Saturday, 31 October, for OGC Nice. The Eagles will host Stade Rennais as part of the 9th round of Ligue 1. Facing the Bretons, the Gym will reunite with a certain Franck Haise. Kick-off is scheduled for 17:15 at the Allianz Riviera.