OGC Nice wins 1-0 against Metz and takes three points that will count at the end of a match poor in chances, on a pitch in bad condition. Alexy Bosetti delivered OGC Nice at the end of regulation time with a poacher’s goal. This Saturday evening, the Eagles are in 11th place in the standings and finally breathe after two defeats.
Fifteen days after the last Ligue 1 matchday and the defeat in Marseille (4-0), it was a second start of the season for the Niçois. Two weeks of work during the international break and a new system put in place by Claude Puel at kickoff. The 4-5-1, which had worked quite well, was replaced by a 3-5-2: Hassen – Genevois, Bodmer, Diawara – Puel, Carlos Eduardo, N. Mendy, Hult, Amavi – Cvitanich, Pléa. Two surprises in the starting eleven with the debuts of the latest recruits, Carlos Eduardo and Pléa, pushing Eysseric and Bauthéac to the bench.
On the field, it took until the 11th minute to see the first chance of the match with a shot from Pléa that went wide, heralding a long evening… Against a well-organized Metz, Nice tried a lot but often missed the final touch. Nampalys Mendy was the real pivot of the Eagles in the first half, recovering and distributing numerous balls, the standout player of the match. In the 25th minute, Souleymane Diawara covered the whole pitch before finding Dario Cvitanich, who with a little chip lobbed the Metz goalkeeper only to see his ball hit the crossbar. Nothing else notable except for two balls that were awkwardly caught by Mouez Hassen.
“We knew this match would be difficult against this kind of team that plays compact. We regret not having opened the score in the first half. The 3-5-2 is an interesting system to fine-tune over time,” explained Claude Puel in a press conference.
In the second half, Allianz Riviera dozed off just like the 22 players. A festival of approximations, scrambles, lost balls, and a save by the Nice goalkeeper in the 50th minute on a shot from Maïga. In the 75th minute, Claude Puel made his final change: Carlos Eduardo, who had a good first half and was comfortable on the ball, made way for Alexy Bosetti. It was a winning coaching decision because in the 94th minute, the fan favorite intercepted a back pass from Metz defender Guido Milan, then dribbled past the Grenat goalkeeper before finding the net. The Nice player scored his third goal of the season, all at home, placing him second among scorers behind a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
“It’s a real ferret’s goal, as the coach said. The scenario was in our favor tonight, it’s good for the club, for the entire team, and the supporters. It was far from a great match but we take three good points,” appreciated Alexy Bosetti at the end of the game.
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