While the 2020 Nations League has started, OGC Nice played a friendly match this Friday behind closed doors against AS Monaco. Despite a strong performance in the first half, the Aiglons were defeated at home with a score of 2-3.
It’s the international break. While national teams compete in the Nations League, the Gym takes the opportunity to play its younger players. The Nicois faced the Monégasques of Niko Kovac. Two teams still undefeated in the league.
For this friendly match at the Allianz Riviera, Patrick Vieira decided to field his team with Cardinale, Burner, Daniliuc, Nsoki, Pionnier, Kari, Trouillet, Sylvestre, Ben Seghir, Lopes, and Guessand.
The current leader of Ligue 1 Uber Eats strikes first and opens the scoring in the 12th minute thanks to Rony Lopes. Well-served by Salim Ben Seghir, 6 meters from Gabriel Pereira’s goal, the Portuguese player scores his first goal in his new colors. The former AS Monaco player allows the Gym to lead 1-0 after just under a quarter of an hour of play.
The Nicois do it again two minutes later. Trouillet launches Evann Guessand behind the Monégasque defense. The forward doubles the score, 2-0 for Nice in the 14th minute. The halftime whistle blows with the score in favor of the men in red and black.
At that moment, one might think the Nicois have done the hardest part, but the players were about to experience a turn of events. In the 58th minute, with a deflected shot by Daniliuc, Gelson Martins (Monaco) allows his team to come back to 2-1. Then, a quarter of an hour later, the red and white winger does it again and deceives Yoann Cardinale with his right foot. AS equalizes at 2-2 in the 73rd minute.
Two minutes from the end of the match, the coup de grâce arrives for the Nicois. Onyekuru scores with a header, crucifying the Aiglons. Monaco leads for the first time. 2-3 in the 88th minute. The referee blows the final whistle.
Defeated at home, OGC Nice will need to quickly recover if the club intends to win at Montpellier on Saturday, September 12, in the next league game.
