On paper, it was almost mission impossible, but it seems that it’s in these situations that the Nice team is most comfortable because the performance delivered this late afternoon under the watchful eye of the Bonne Mère is significant. Not only did Frédéric Antonetti’s protégés win the southern derby, but they also played a perfect game in all areas. Admittedly, the missed chances by Ederson, blocked by an excellent Mandanda, could have led to another disappointment for the Nice ranks, but quite the opposite, they motivated the red and black group to overthrow an opponent who had hardly ever been a favorable matchup for them in recent years.
The first half was balanced between an enterprising Nice side that could have already been ahead on the scoreboard without a fine performance from their goalkeeper, and a Marseille team that was too cautious and lacked real inspiration, resulting in a goalless draw at halftime. There were two warnings on the Marseille side with Faty and Valbuena attempting to disrupt the good progression by Nice.
But it was after the break that the fabulous red and black machine started rolling. While the Provence team seemed to return with more offensive intent, it was Vincent Hognon who opened the scoring by taking advantage of a good lobbed ball over the Marseille defense to beat Mandanda, who could only watch the damage. Nice was leading, and it was well-deserved. Moussilou, the former Nice player who had just entered the game, tried to energize the Marseille game but to no avail, and it was still OGC Nice that controlled the midfield. Albert Emon then tried everything by bringing in Zenden to support his struggling attack. Lloris once again demonstrated his dominance, especially with his aerial outings, and even the violent clash with his former teammate Moussilou did not clip the wings of the young “aiglon” who continued to rise.
The minutes passed, and memories of the end of matches against Rennes and Toulouse began to worry the many Nice supporters who had made the short trip from Nice to Marseille. Moussilou posed a threat, as if to remind his former club of his presence, but it made no difference; the Nice defense held firm and steady. Nasri struggled valiantly but only managed to make Hugo Lloris shine, as he collected every stray ball in his area.
Only a few seconds left to play, and the feat now seemed so close. It was at this moment that the other Nice recruit, Hellebuyck, delivered the final blow by scoring past the Marseille goalkeeper following a good setup by Koné. 2-0, the game was declared over, and the disheartened Marseille supporters began to leave the Stade Vélodrome, not without expressing their dissatisfaction with the poor quality of play presented by their team.
M. Ennjimi blew the whistle one last time, finally freeing the valiant warriors from the Côte d’Azur who had just achieved a feat that few football specialists and bettors had imagined. But beyond the performance, it was especially this reference match that should be remembered, and without a doubt, this victory on Marseille soil will be useful in a season that had not started under the best auspices.
The appointment is thus set for next Sunday for the reception of RC Lens with a certain Jean-Pierre Papin, to confirm this fine victory that pushes the “aigles” to the eleventh place in the Ligue 1 standings, with 8 valuable points already secured.
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