OGC Nice had not won at home for four months. The ever-faithful fans were beginning to get frustrated with the lack of victories despite a good run from the Eagles. Frédéric Antonetti’s men, in a match with no stakes, put on an enjoyable show that earned them three points. Caen was in sync. The Normans played an appealing, forward-driven game. They dominated the start of the match. Lionel Létizi, standing in for Hugo Lloris, was called into action against Gouffran and later saved by his crossbar after a shot from Nicolas Florentin.
The Red and Blacks seemed listless. Ederson was quiet and the clearances imprecise. Anthony Modeste, chosen over Lilian Laslandes, couldn’t find his place relative to Baky Koné. As for the midfield, the absence of the suspended Florent Balmont was felt. Only the fans seemed to be in good shape… And then David Hellebuyck burst onto the scene!
After a clearance to touch by Caen’s goalkeeper Benoît Costil, the ball landed at the feet of Nice’s left-footer. Seeing Costil off his line, he perfected a lob from over 50 meters. A stunning, magnificent goal that left the crowd incredulous. The magical left foot of the former St Etienne player trained in Lyon had worked its magic. A goal so splendid it made one regret that the goal of the season had already been chosen.
The game took off. The Eagles were awakened. The Caennais responded. Just before the break, they equalized after a sharp strike by Julien Toudic, one of the Norman prospects. At halftime, mobile phones buzzed… Everyone was checking other scores. The suspense of Ligue 1 filled the conversations.
The second half, the last 45 minutes of the season, turned into a celebration. Spirits were freed. The game was lively. Ten minutes in, the unstoppable Hellebuyck was tackled in the box by Grégory Proment. Mr. Thual called a penalty. Baky Koné offered it to Ederson. The Brazilian converted it, scoring his seventh goal of the season in his final match for Nice. Nice led 2-1 and comfortably managed the rest of the match. Laslandes, Bamogo, and Hognon made their appearances. The first two made a significant impact; Laslandes brought his physicality, Bamogo his vision.
In the final minutes, Hellebuyck again provided a perfect center for Koné who scored his fourteenth goal. Victory was on the horizon. The BSN supporters chanted the names of all the players.
At the final whistle, Stade du Ray celebrated Ederson and all his teammates. The Brazilian took a victory lap. President Maurice Cohen and coach Frédéric Antonetti thanked the supporters. The players mingled with the crowd. Nice finished in eighth place, three points shy of a European qualification. The heroes were Koné (14 goals), Hugo Lloris who had been the last bulwark of the league’s best defense, Hellebuyck, Echouafni, and Balmont the workhorses, Laslandes and Rool the warriors, Kanté and Hognon the reliable backs, Ederson the magician, and especially Frédéric Antonetti, the conductor who perfectly played his part.
Thank you, Eagles and see you next year!
