From the start of the match, Nice supporters had some reason to fear with a series of corners benefiting a liberated Sochaux side determined to seize their opportunity to escape from that dreaded last place in the standings. Fortunately, the five corner kicks in less than ten minutes did not benefit the young lions. Fae and Hellebuyck did their best to trouble Teddy Richert but without success, while Marvin Martin forced Lionel Letizi to punch away a fine attempt with both fists. As the saying goes, good blood cannot lie, and Frédéric Antonetti was both vocally and physically urging his squad to play higher. Loïc Rémy set an example by troubling the Sochaux goalkeeper, who nevertheless won his duel against the Nice striker, who seemed very much alone at the point of the red and black attack, in the heart of which Bamogo and Mouloungui were completely invisible. Hellebuyck had just enough time to make Richert shine, and the referee, Fredy Fautrel, sent both teams back to the locker rooms.
After the hammering from Rennes, it was thought that the Nice coach had certainly found the words to refocus his men and that a different spectacle was to be expected in the second half, during which the young players from the Orange Challenge were as ineffective as their elders. No changes were made during the break, and the same 22 players returned for another 45 minutes. Echouafni then found the right inspiration to send Mouloungui deep, who encountered Teddy Richert in a clash that left both men on the ground. The ball continued its course quietly towards the Sochaux goal, and despite Daf’s desperate return, OGC Nice opened the scoring with a true fluke goal. The two men eventually got up after a few seconds, and the coaching ballet could then begin. Modeste replaced Mouloungui for Nice, while Privat and Birsa replaced Boudebouz and Pitau for Sochaux. A yellow card, but this time for a few idiots in the crowd who booed the former Nice player as he left. The match then fell back into mediocrity, with only Ben Saada standing out by bringing some fresh energy.
With just over 20 minutes left to play, victory seemed within reach for the eagles, but that was without counting on the skill and genius of the new entrant, Slovene Valter Birsa, who adjusted Lionel Letizi with a beautiful left-footed strike after an equally fine right-footed control with no defender in opposition. Thunderstruck at the Ray, and with more than a quarter-hour remaining, the eagles tried to turn the tide. Antonetti replaced Bamogo with Ben Saada and brought in Coulibaly instead of Faé and Ben Saada, while Francis Gillot replaced a very nervous Daf with Pichot. Despite this, the game did not take off, and the eagles seemed unable to trouble Richert again, while Pichot and Maurice-Belay were significantly diminished on the Sochaux side. Cyril Rool, one of the few fighters of the evening, did attempt to serve Modeste, who found himself alone against the Sochaux goalkeeper, but the Nice forward, true to his match, treated the public to another fantastic miss.
Indeed, Teddy Richert pulled off a great feat in the last seconds by deflecting a superb free-kick, but it would not have been fair for Francis Gillot’s men to lose under such circumstances, given the courage and determination they showed throughout the game. So ultimately, the two teams parted on a justified draw, with one side feeling a sense of a job well done, and the other with regrets to harbor before facing their coach’s likely harsh analysis. The start of the season made the dreams of the red and black house, and it is to be hoped that the level of play can climb a few notches again, otherwise… Beware of the nightmare!!!
See the goals from the game
