After a top-class victory against PSG in the Coupe de France, OGC Nice returns to Ligue 1 and their home ground to face Clermont Foot 63 as part of the 23rd day of the championship.
The Clermontois start this match strong. As usual, they establish an offensive game and make many attempts. After 15 minutes, they’ve already made 3 attempts, including 1 on target, while ‘the Gym’ hasn’t tried a single shot.
Half an hour into the game, the pattern remains the same: Nice is put under pressure by Clermont’s pressing, resulting in numerous defensive errors. So far, ‘the Gym’ has produced nothing offensively and has only shot on goal once, while Clermont has already managed 7 shots.
In the last 5 minutes of the first half, Nice finally manages to approach CF63’s box and attempt two headers, unfortunately off-target.
But moments later, Guinean striker Mohamed Bayo almost scores the first goal of the match. Set up by a cross from the right, the attacker controls and aims for Bulka’s top corner. It just goes over the frame (45th minute).
Upon returning from the locker room, Nice seems less overwhelmed by Clermont’s pressing. However, the Auvergne team manages two chances, and ‘the Eagle’ still struggles to get any.
It’s around the 60th minute that ‘the Gym’ manages to penetrate the opposition’s box several times, mainly through Boudaoui creating danger (65th, 67th).
On one of Clermont’s rare occasions in the second half, Allevinah, served by a backheel from Kyei, hits Bulka’s post.
But moments later, Nice’s defense will falter. Following a run from Zedadka on the right, Allevinah, very lively since his introduction, fires a hard cross to the far post. The Kosovar Rashani is well-positioned and easily pushes the ball into the net, 0-1 in the 77th minute.
Lotomba is close to equalizing with a header from a Claude Maurice cross, but Djoco easily catches the ball in the 87th minute.
Despite having possession of the ball in the final moments of the match, Nice won’t catch up and will
The fourth home defeat of the season for OGC Nice, with this loss against Clermont at a score of 0-1.
From the start of the match, ‘the Eagles’ were unsettled by the visitors, who brought intensity and multiplied their offensives. At halftime, the Nice team had only made three shots compared to Clermont’s near ten.
Despite an improvement in the second half, ‘the Gym’ got very few chances. Allevinah’s addition changed the dynamic; the Gabonese player repeatedly destabilized the Azurian defense and eventually provided the decisive assist for Rashani.
It’s thus logical that Pascal Gastien’s players won at Allianz. A match perhaps approached with too much confidence by the Nice team after their French Cup success against Paris. The next meeting will indeed be in this competition, against Marseille for the quarter-finals, this Wednesday.
Nice’s player ratings:
Bulka (5) – Atal (5), Daniluc (4), Dante (5), Bard (3) – Boudaoui (6), Lemina (4), Thuram (5), Kluivert (4) – Delort (4), Gouiri (4)
