After the successes of Rennes and Lyon this weekend, OGC Nice responded perfectly by securing a win on their home ground against Ajaccio (3-0) yesterday. This victory regained them third place in the standings.
A few days after not being selected for the French national team, Hatem Ben Arfa delivered the perfect response yesterday afternoon at Allianz Riviera. The OGC Nice playmaker regained a vigor in his attacks that he hadn’t displayed since returning from injury. His efforts paid off as he scored a goal and provided an assist against Gazélec. It was he who broke the deadlock during a first half-hour that Nice dominated without necessarily overpowering their opponent of the evening. In the 14th minute of the game, launched down the right side, the former Lyon player picked up speed, passed between two defenders, entered the penalty area, faked and curled a left-footed shot into the far bottom corner. Classic Ben Arfa.
Without forcing, Nice pulled away
Without particularly shining, Nice managed the end of the first half at their own pace, far from being troubled by a Gazélec side that was too timid. A completely different scenario unfolded after the break. More present in their pressing, the Corsicans created a few opportunities, notably from long-range shots. And that is where Nice demonstrated their real strength of the season: their calmness. Claude Puel’s team never gave the impression of losing their composure or their game plan. A series of short passes and simplicity allowed Nice to comfortably regain control. With a superb service from Ben Arfa, Plea first wasted a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 by over-hitting his shot, but got another chance. A few minutes later, the same duo connected again. Ben Arfa sent a ball through for Plea who, after bypassing Clement Maury, finished this time.
Without forcing, Nice soared
This was enough to definitively extinguish the hopes of Larbi and his teammates. Especially with the introduction of Vincent Koziello, which solidified Nice’s grip on possession. The red and blacks maintained nearly 58% possession throughout the game. Worn out, the Corsicans began to slacken their marking towards the end of the match, allowing Germain to break free down the left side. The forward, on loan from Monaco, burst into the box and delivered a perfect cut-back for Seri. 3-0 in the 88th minute, an excellent piece of work. At least on the OGC Nice side. Because while one side reclaimed third place, the other found themselves in 18th. Champions League versus Ligue 2, the difference in objectives and level was too great last night on the Allianz Riviera pitch in Nice.
Photo credit and more information at www.ogcnice.com
