Despite an incredible comeback from 0-3 to 3-3, OGC Nice was defeated in the penalty shootout and was eliminated in the round of 32 of the Coupe de la Ligue by FC Metz. Another match with spectacle and goals, but the Eagles can regret a catastrophic first quarter-hour. Bad news, the Nicฬงois will be without their captain, Didier Digard, for several weeks.
Specialists and the more skeptical were expecting a minor match and a light score. In front of less than 10,000 spectators, a decent attendance for a midweek Coupe de la Ligue match, both the Messins and the Nicฬงois played their parts to secure a ticket for the round of 16. As expected, both coaches rotated their squads. On the Nice side, Pouplin, Eysseric, and Maupay started the match, while the Messins changed more than half of their players compared to their last championship match.
From the very first seconds of the match, Nice appeared to be struggling and under pressure. It took the first saves in his new colors from Simon Pouplin to delay the inevitable. After a succession of corners, Josรฉ Luis Palomino jumped higher than anyone and beat Pouplin with a beautiful header (0-1). No reaction from the Eagles, who lost numerous balls and duels in the midfield. Shortly after, Mรฉtanire broke free on the right side and crossed into the box; it was picked up by Ngbakoto who smashed his header, a ball deflected by Maรฏga’s leg that ended up in the back of the net (0-2). And immediately after, Metz broke away. Thibaut Vion, well launched in depth by Maรฏga, chipped his ball over Pouplin. Already 0-3 after 17 minutesโฆ
“Metz put a lot of pressure right at the start of the match. We had a blackout for 15 minutes. We were all insufficient together,” lamented Claude Puel in a press conference.
It took until the 20th minute to finally see some Nice action, and it ended up in the back of the net. Neal Maupay benefited from good work by Valentin Eysseric; he shot, it was parried by Johan Carrasso, the Metz goalkeeper, but not held. The Nice striker took the opportunity to reduce the score (1-3). Didier Digard, injured in the calf, made way for the young Vincent Koziello, for his first professional match. As the end of the first half approached, Alexy Bosetti scored OGC Nice’s second goal. After good work from Koziello, Eysseric hit the post, and the ball rebounded into Bosetti’s feet, who scored after a deflection from a Metz defender (2-3).
Few things happened in the second half except a beautiful save from Pouplin on a point-blank header from Maรฏga. In the 69th minute, the referee should have awarded a penalty to FC Metz for a handball in the box by Souleymane Diawara. At the end of regulation time, Nice pushed and was awarded a penalty for a handball by Palomino. Dario Cvitanich, who entered the game a few minutes earlier, brought Allianz Riviera to its feet by converting the penalty. Headed to extra time and then penalty shootouts after 30 very quiet minutes.
“I want to keep the positives from this match, which is the character of the players, the ability to raise our level of play. We are capable of coming back from such scores, we wanted to seek this qualification, it’s indicative of good things to come,” said the Gym coach after the match.
The Nice penalty takers failed three times (Bodmer, Cvitanich, and Bosetti) and it was FC Metz who secured their ticket for the round of 16. Claude Puel’s men might have regrets after a significant comeback and chances to make it 4-3. Now, focus turns to the clash this Saturday against in-form Ligue 1 team Lyon, to confirm their position in the top half of the table.
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