A double from Laslandes (48th and 57th minutes) and another goal from Ederson (77th) illuminated the cool Azurean night and demonstrated, once again, that a renewal is well underway within the ranks of the red and black club. Even other results of the evening were favorable to Antonetti’s men with Nantes’ home defeat against Valenciennes (2-5) and Sedan’s loss to Le Mans (3-2), allowing Nice to come within a mere point of exiting the red zone where they have been for far too long. “It’s a pity that Monaco didn’t win against Paris Saint Germain, we would be 17th tonight,” one spectator with paper and pencil in hand showed his neighbor in the seat, the icing on the excellent cake served tonight at the Ray’s den in Nice.
The match wasn’t the most enticing, even though the latest results had certainly attracted the most reluctant, but the crowd still came in numbers to witness a first half largely dominated by Nice, who, however, were unable to unblock the situation or the scoreboard. Just when everyone expected to return to the changing rooms with a zero-zero score, Laslandes took advantage of a perfect cross from Fanni, after very good work from Koné, to open the scoring with a fine right-foot finish. The stadium erupted, the referee blew the whistle for the end of the first half, and the atmosphere around the refreshment stand became noticeably more relaxed.
The second half restarted on the same basis as the previous one with a clear domination by OGC Nice, and the relentless work of the Nice attack eventually paid off a second time with a new feat from Koné who toyed with the Troyes defense in their penalty area before ideally serving Laslandes who headed the ball under the crossbar of the unfortunate Le Crom, who for the second time fetched the ball from the back of his net. A new scene of jubilation in a boiling Ray Stadium, which, for the occasion, sang the welcome Nissa la Bella.
“They should not back down or it will be tough for thirty minutes.” Confident yet cautious, a group of friends spending the early evening on the Ray hill dispensed their advice. However, the Troyes team couldn’t make it happen; attempts were in vain and the Nice defense had a most tranquil evening. The Troy coach tried to inject some fresh blood with the entry of Bangoura and former Nice player Ba, but to no avail. It was even Ederson who added to the tally with a superb lob following another play between the unstoppable Laslandes and Koné.
The stadium rejoiced, the waves followed one another, and the Nice anthem rose once again from a BSN that had made a flawless display of tifo all evening. Thierry Auriac, the referee of the evening, blew his whistle one last time to mark the end of a match synonymous with victory, but also of confirmation for this Nice group which continues to assert itself with each outing.
Next step, and not the least, next Saturday, a perilous trip to Valenciennes who just routed the Nantes canaries on their ground (2-5) and who hopes to continue this beautiful series that would distance them a bit more from the relegation zone.
But, for now, it’s time to savor this beautiful victory and to think that the best is still to come.
