OGC Nice defeated Lorient 3-1 this Saturday evening, giving them some breathing room in the standings (12th, 6 points ahead of 18th place). A home win that brings relief to the club and its supporters, who have been waiting for this since last September 27th. Carlos Eduardo, who scored and was involved in the other two goals, dazzled the match with his talent.
A sigh of relief, a breath of fresh air… The players and staff must be at a loss for expressions to describe this victory, a month after their last one in Caen (3-2, on December 6th). Nice trembled, Nice got back up, and Nice delighted their fans. The year 2015 is definitely underway after a painful setback in Valenciennes in the French Cup.
And yet, the Eaglets, without Ben Arfa (transfer certificate not received in time), started this match in the worst possible way. In the 7th minute, Lorient opened the scoring thanks to their in-form striker, Benjamin Jeannot. The Lorient forward outmaneuvered Genevois and executed an overhead kick into Mouez Hassen’s net (0-1, 7′). A chill swept over the Allianz Riviera. Nice clearly had possession of the ball but used it ineffectively, as seen in the harmless strikes from Bauthéac, Hult, and Carlos Eduardo. Back in Ligue 1, in Nice’s goal, Mouez Hassen made a decisive save in the 20th minute. The young goalkeeper expertly came out to block Jeannot’s advance, preventing a 0-2 scoreline. Soon after, Carlos Eduardo broke free on the left side and was tripped in the box by Barthelmé. An indisputable penalty was awarded by Mr. Bien. Eric Bauthéac took care of it and sent Lecomte the wrong way (30′, 1-1). The Allianz could erupt, it was their first goal since Cvitanich’s against Rennes in early December. Just before the break, Plea missed the chance to make it 2-1 after a one-on-one won by the Lorient goalkeeper.
“We were talking about it in the locker room, and we couldn’t remember our last home victory. It was important to take control at home. Even when we were behind, we stayed focused and showed quality in our play. We capitalized on our dominance, and that’s positive,” explained Romain Genevois in the mixed zone.
In the second half, Nice increased their pressure around Lorient’s box. Carlos Eduardo missed the target with a fine header, then Bosetti came centimeters short of pushing the ball in. But on the hour mark, Alexy Bosetti gave Gym the lead. Thanks to superb work on the right side and a precise cross from Carlos Eduardo, Bosetti headed the ball beautifully into the net (2-1, 60′). It was the fourth goal this season for the 21-year-old forward. Shortly afterward, a goal was rightly disallowed for Lorient due to an offside position. The Carlos Eduardo show continued. The man who scored five goals in Guingamp took advantage of a magnificent headed setup by Alassane Plea to execute a stunning volley that nestled into Lecomte’s top corner (3-1, 67′). The stadium stood and applauded their playmaker. The gap was made, and it could have been even larger if not for a fine save by FCL’s goalkeeper on a curled shot by Jordan Amavi in the 81st minute.
“I am very happy with this victory. These three points are good for the players, the staff, and our fans. We played a very good match and I scored a super goal. It’s a great evening,” smiled Carlos Eduardo.
Photo credit and more information at www.ogcnice.com
