OGC Nice and Olympique Lyonnais had a date last night at the Allianz Riviera to (re)play football, a week after the attacks. The Eagles didn’t hold back and secured another prestigious victory after defeating Saint-Etienne and Marseille. A 3-0 win against the second-place team, earning a spot on the podium. Not bad!
Seven days after the dreadful night in Paris, the people of Nice offered their supporters 90 minutes of happiness. 90 minutes of shared carefree spirit with the Nice team. 90 minutes of football as we love it. According to Claude Puel, the people of Nice wanted to take advantage of “a profession that allows bringing joy to people.” And they did just that.
Yet, the start of the match was more in favor of Lyon. From the fourth minute, Le Marchand handed the ball over, and Ferri provided a perfect pass to Beauvue, who was alone and in a good position. Over the bar. About ten minutes later, Lacazette, charging straight through, was set up to challenge Hassen. The post.
When luck is on your side… Séri!
Quite low in the early stages, the Gym refuses to give up. As often, the determination of the Nice team to move forward pays off rather quickly. In a challenge with Tolisso about thirty meters from Lopes’ goal, Séri does not falter. He keeps the ball and then skillfully sets it up to provide Germain with a perfect setup. The Nice striker chips the ball in to score his sixth goal of the season. 18th minute, 1-0.
While Ben Arfa dazzles intermittently with technical brilliance, one man stands out in the midfield. Jean-Mickaël Séri. With the ball at his feet or with his long passes, the Ivorian penetrates the lines of Rhône and exposes the shortcomings of this team one by one. Koziello, excellent, Pied, tireless, and Germain, always clever in challenging a hesitant defense. A defense that completely collapses at the start of the second half.
Despondent Lyonnais
Having just finished the first half with great intensity, the people of Nice maintain the same momentum right after the break. With few solutions, Lyon surrenders quickly. Within three minutes, an own goal “from the textbook.” Set up on the right by Séri, Jérémy Pied delivers a low cross. Lopes rushes out to clear the ball. Yanga-M’Biwa gets there first and deflects it into the net. The two attacking red and black players in the box probably couldn’t have done it better.
Afterwards, the waves keep coming. Like the ones that flood the Promenade des Anglais two or three times a decade. Even the Lyon defense barrier of Gonalons-M’Biwa doesn’t hold for long. In the 70th minute, Koziello takes advantage of a considerable gap in the box to control and strike past Lopes. The young man is surprised to score the 3-0 goal and demonstrates his astonishment with an awkward goal celebration. Anecdotal.
“There is always an emotional side that I wanted to bring my players out of,” explained Claude Puel after the match. On the field, Nice was cold, precise, and highly successful. In the stands, the atmosphere was heated with 18,000 spectators who also paid tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks by observing a minute of silence. A perfect evening. Far, very far from that of the 13th.
Photo credit and more information on www.ogcnice.com
