The Aiglons snatch a draw in the 94th minute thanks to a goal by Palun, validated by the assistant referee. A well-deserved point over the course of the match that allows the Niçois to remain in the top half of the table (8th) before the international break.
After Monaco, things are complicated. A prestigious victory on the Rock (1-0) led to a certain relaxation potentially setting in. Against a determined and solid Montpellier side away from home, Nice expected a tough match. Three changes in the starting 11 with Diawara taking the place of the injured Genevois, Bosetti replacing Puel, and it was the return of Captain Digard as a starter in place of Hult.
Intensity, commitment, and gameplay volume were the watchwords this week. The Niçois started the match well, quickly taking possession of the ball with many duels won in midfield. In the 12th minute, the Aiglons were very close to opening the score, Pléa’s shot being deflected by the Hérault goalkeeper, Jourdren, and Bosetti unable to follow up. Shortly after, Carlos Eduardo secured a good free-kick 27 meters out, which just missed the target. At the half-hour mark, Alexy Bosetti, already with 3 goals this season, attempted a lob as he saw Jourdren advanced but, unfortunately, it was off-target. Following this, Eric Bauthéac acrobatically volleyed a cross from Palun, but it went out for a goal-kick.
“On the first half, we lose 2 points. We didn’t start badly, I saw interesting things, we created chances. There was potential to do better; it’s a shame not to capitalize,” regretted Claude Puel in the post-match press conference.
A completely different scenario in the second half where Montpellier started at full throttle. A superb intervention by Souleymane Diawara was needed to prevent Barrios from scoring (48th). On the counter, Alexy Bosetti, lacking fortune, saw his “shot-cross” deflected onto the crossbar by Geoffrey Jourdren (50th). A minute later, Diawara made a mistake and gave the ball for a counter to Rolland Courbis’s men. Camara curled his right-foot shot, but Hassen, improving match by match, saved it with his foot (52nd). Virtually nothing happened for 20 minutes except for player changes and tactical adjustments. In the 72nd minute, Mounier, a former Niçois, delivered a good corner, Hilton outjumped Digard and placed a powerful header that Hassen could not deflect. Montpellier opened the scoring on their second shot on target.
At the end of regulation time, the fourth official indicated 4 additional minutes, logically given the substitutions and injuries. Less than a minute from the end, the Aiglons earned a corner, initially cleared but Pléa put the ball back “in the mix.” Amidst the scrambling, Lloyd Palun headed the ball, repelled by Jourdren onto the Niçois’s thigh who equalized. There was confusion as, initially, the referee, Mr. Bien, refused the goal, but it was validated by the assistant. The Allianz Rivera erupted and praised the courage of their players, who extended their unbeaten run to three games.
“For us, it’s a very good scenario. There is no secret; if we score at the very end, it’s because we believed until the end. The group hates losing; we couldn’t let points slip away. Who knows, it’s a point that might count at the end of the season,” explained Didier Digard.
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