This Sunday, OGC Nice played away on the pitch of RC Lens, as part of the 16th day of Ligue 1. Facing an opponent much more effective in both penalty areas, the Gym conceded defeat (0-2). The people from Nice continue their negative spiral, with a ninth consecutive defeat in their last nine outings.
Lifting their heads or continuing an incredible negative spiral. In the midst of a crisis on and off the pitch, the scenario was simple for OGC Nice: get the three points and finally move forward. This Sunday, the Aiglons faced a big challenge. The teammates of Charles Vanhoutte traveled to the pitch of the Ligue 1 leader, RC Lens. The two teams’ dynamics were therefore opposed at the start of this encounter. Nothing could resist the Blood and Gold, while the Gym has been stagnant for several weeks. Franck Haise’s group remains on eight consecutive defeats in all competitions. In the championship, the latest underperformance of Nice dates back to last weekend, with their defeat against Angers SCO (0-1).
Logically, the Artois leader took control of the ball from the first seconds of play. On their side, OGC Nice — organized around a tight 4-3-3 — was well positioned, despite some avoidable ball losses. But as too often this season, the Aiglons conceded first (1-0, 15′). Found on a very good cross from Udol, Odsonne Edouard got ahead of Peprah Oppong and beat Diuof with a magnificent cross-header. Knowing that the Gym has never won a point when trailing this season in Ligue 1, the rest of the match held little promise for the Azuréenne team.
Improvement in play, but Nice still struggling
With a more streamlined collective, RC Lens dominated the first half, both in score and intention. On their side, Gym’s offensive content was timid. Too clumsy and lacking accuracy in the final move, OGC Nice was unable to effectively threaten the opposing camp. On one of their rare opportunities, Mohamed-Ali Cho missed the ball and let slip a huge chance in front of the opposition goal. On his side, Hicham Boudaoui came frustratingly close but was thwarted by Risser, the Lens’ai goalkeeper. The Nice side is still searching for a goal in Ligue 1 for more than two matches now.
Returning from the locker room, Franck Haise opted for a more offensive solution, with Kevin Carlos entering the match. The intention was clear: get back into the game as quickly as possible. Robin Risser, again, had to make a fine save on a distant shot from Isak Jansson. The intentions from Nice were better, although the teammates of Melvin Bard continued to struggle technically. Naturally, in these situations, we know what scenario unfolds in such matches.
The Aiglons punished
By failing to react or capitalize on their strong periods, OGC Nice was bound to regret it. Once again, Odsonne Édouard finished off another cross from Udol (2-0, 57′). All alone at the far post, the RC Lens striker scored a brace from two nearly identical plays. Without being overwhelmingly dominant, the Blood and Gold showed incredible efficiency in both penalty areas. This is exactly what’s been missing for the Gym for several months now. This second Lens goal dealt another blow to the heads of Franck Haise’s players.
The solution did not come from the Nice bench, as the various substitutes — from OGC Nice — were not able to make a difference in this match. Ahead in the score and in a comfortable situation, RC Lens was content to manage the end of the game without much suspense. The Gym falls for the ninth consecutive time across all competitions, and the sixth in a row in Ligue 1. More than ever, the Aiglons are sinking into an endless crisis. Nice finishes this first part of the championship in an anecdotal 13th place, with a poor total of 17 points.
OGC Nice will have one last match to play, to close their 2025 year. Next Sunday, December 21st, the Aiglons will make their entry in the Coupe de France, during the Round of 32 of the competition, as they host AS Saint-Étienne (L2). This match will be played in a closed-door Allianz Riviera following a decision by the League. The LFP’s disciplinary committee sanctioned the Gym following the use of pyrotechnic devices during the derby against Olympique de Marseille. Kick-off is at 2:45 PM.
