OGC Nice won last night against TFC following an absolutely dull match. Enough to allow the Eagles to reclaim a spot on the Ligue 1 podium.
One shot on target from each side. No more. This statistic alone reflects the boredom felt by the 12,000 supporters present at the Allianz Riviera last night. Without Germain up front, Nice started with Caddy and P. Puel in attack. Both displayed more youthful errors than energy and desire. They were never able to create any chances. Worse, even the simplest passes seemed incredibly complicated technically throughout the match for the duo.
But, as has been the case in recent weeks at home, Nice managed to come out on top. As usual, thanks to a stroke of genius from Ben Arfa. Although he didn’t succeed in everything during the match, the French international once again made the difference with a burst of speed and then benefited from an improbable lucky bounce to score “the luckiest goal of his career,” by his own admission. In that moment, the former Lyon player notably ignored a completely unmarked Germain in the box with an open goal. While Ben Arfa was the hero, he might have seemed a tad selfish in this play, but it was without accounting for his lucky star.
But here’s the thing, the Eagles have the wind at their back, and like good predators, they let themselves be carried and pick up their wounded prey. Without much effort, especially. Because for quite some time now, Toulouse has been struggling. Slowly but surely, Yedder’s team has made the relegation zone their main residence. Given the spiral, a move to Ligue 2 seems inevitable.
Nice, on the other hand, wants to conquer Europe. In a Ligue 1 too small for Ben Arfa, the Gym still has to deal with a few tough rivals, but the path seems largely clear. The two upcoming encounters against neighbors Monaco and Marseille in the next ten days will be decisive for what’s to come. With two victories, the team from the French Riviera would be very close to Europe. With two defeats, the mission would become much more complicated. However, as usual, Nice has been lucky, and in football, that always rhymes with hope.
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