The 2016-2017 edition of Le Gym, it’s a good one! The Aiglons, chaotic in the second half, snatch a valuable victory after being pressured by aggressive Bordelais.
The final sprint is launched. Everything during this 31st round of L1 confirmed this state of affairs. The game, the tension, the emotions. With full batteries and light legs, the 22 players started the match with a lot of intensity. Each in their style: Le Gym with possession, elegance, and determination; the Girondins with impact, speed, and direct play.
From the 5th minute, Arnaud Souquet takes a corner from Mika Seri, but his shot hits the post. The Aiglons are unjustly punished a few minutes later when Gaëtan Laborde slaloms between Dante and Le Marchand to blast past Cardinale (0-1, 9th minute).
Le Gym responds, and it only takes a few minutes for Arnaud Souquet (again) to win a rather generous penalty after a push by Toulalan. Super Mario Balotelli shows no nerves and equalizes for Le Gym (1-1, 16th minute).
The Italian striker, more involved than usual on the attacking front, is at the origin of Nice’s second goal. Taking advantage of a poor Bordelais pass, Balotelli sets up Eysseric at the edge of the box. He doesn’t hesitate and sends a superb shot into the top corner (2-1, 27th minute). Nice takes the lead at the half-hour mark.
Until halftime, Le Gym holds on. Cardinale makes a decisive save in front of Vada (35th minute), minutes after saving a failed clearance by Le Marchand that was headed for the crossbar.
As usual after the break, Le Gym suffers and struggles to return. The Nice defense offers several opportunities to the Girondins, but Kamano lacks success (55th, 66th minutes). On the other end, Ricardo couldn’t capitalize on a deflected Balotelli shot by Carrasso (65th minute).
Toward the end of the match, not helped by a (once again) biased refereeing, the Aiglons narrowly avoid disaster. But, as often this season, the lock doesn’t break.
After an intense battle, Le Gym wins their nineteenth match of the season. Sixteen points ahead of fourth-place Lyon and still in the race to catch Monaco and Paris. What more could you ask for? Oh yes, we know! A present public that must support a team having an excellent season, deserving a full stadium. Not just against Paris, in four weeks. In the meantime, there will be Nancy, in 15 days.
The match in gifs
9:00 PM: The flight of Mèfi, Nissa la Bella, players entering the pitch.
9:05 PM: Arnaud Souquet sees his shot deflected by the post.
9:09 PM: Gaëtan Laborde opens the score after passing through the Nice defense.
9:14 PM: Penalty for Nice! Arnaud Souquet is fouled in the box by Jérémy Toulalan.
9:16 PM: Balotelli converts it! 1-1!
9:27 PM: Superb strike from Eysseric! Top corner! Le Gym takes the lead, 2-1!
9:35 PM: Cardinale is imperious in goal, after another save in front of Valentin Vada.
9:45 PM: Halftime. Jocelyn Gourvennec tries to find a way through the Nice defense.
10:09 PM: First big miss from Kamano. On the bench, Gourvennec wonders.
10:20 PM: Second miss from Kamano. Two meters from the goal. Gourvennec can’t believe it.
10:40 PM: Lucien Favre waits for the final whistle.
10:46 PM: Victory! Le Gym wins and strengthens their third place.
The stat: 11 goals
Mario Balotelli has scored 11 goals in Ligue 1 2016/17, all at home. The last time a player scored at least 10 goals entirely at home in a Ligue 1 season was in 2007/08 with Steve Savidan (13 with Valenciennes).
Lucien Favre’s reaction:
“All matches are difficult, as we saw tonight. We must not forget that we have quite a few absentees. Tonight, if Seri or Koziello gets injured, I have no solution. Maybe I would have to come on in the midfield (smile). We only have young players aged 19-20 on the bench, and it’s tricky to bring them in under such tension for tactics, set-pieces. It’s great, we win 2-1, we have 67 points. And we will continue. In gameplay but also defensively, we have work to do. It’s not normal to be caught out in one-on-two situations like that. We have tactical work, coordination, footwork, etc. There are many details that make the difference, causing us to face difficulties at times. Bordeaux had opportunities in the second half.”
Jean-Pierre Rivère’s reaction:
“These are three welcomed points, but it’s not done for the podium yet. It’s not just talk. Lyon still has a game in hand (Wednesday at Metz, note), and we have a complicated schedule. We have to keep getting points from game to game. And if teams behind us slip up, that’s good too. But let’s focus on our game. The team has the character to come back into the game. I saw a good Nice team, especially in the first half. It was very pleasant to watch.”
