Struggling throughout the match, Nice salvaged a crucial draw in Bordeaux. Unsteady in their play, Claude Puel’s men once again displayed remarkable mental resilience. A takeaway satisfaction, along with the point from the draw.
Before the match, the goal was to continue the good run while reassuring themselves in play. After this draw, the impression is mixed. From the first half, the defense seemed overwhelmed, constantly outpaced. Grégoire Puel, in particular, struggled against Nicolas Maurice-Belay’s feints. As a result, by halftime, the Nice team managed to escape rather well by keeping their goal unbreached. This was also due to Guillaume Hoareau’s clumsiness, who lost all his striking prowess since his spell in China.
Nice struggled and logically conceded a penalty, just after the hour of play. Jussié converted the verdict. Shortly after, Bosetti equalized after picking up a deflected shot from Maupay. This was unexpected given the nature of the match. Ospina, in goal, delivered yet another great performance, as has been the norm this season. Even with a numerical advantage following Traoré’s expulsion, OGC Nice remained lethargic. The final chances were Bordeaux’s, and Claude Puel experienced some last-minute heart-stoppers.
At the final whistle, the coach raised his arms as if this draw felt like a victory. “We were enormous!” exclaimed Claude Puel. One hopes he was referring to their mental qualities, because in terms of gameplay, there is still significant room for improvement.
On Friday, Paris Saint-Germain looms with its array that could cause even Europe to tremble. It will take more than warriors to stop the band led by a certain Zlatan.
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