OGC Nice was defeated last night by Olympique de Marseille at the Allianz Riviera 1-0, concluding the tenth day of Ligue 1. With a lack of offensive inspiration, Patrick Vieira’s players have dropped to 14th place in the standings.
The fourth home defeat out of five for Gym. It’s an alarming observation for Jean-Pierre Rivère’s team. After Reims, Dijon, and Paris-Saint-Germain, it was Olympique de Marseille’s turn to leave the Allianz Riviera with 3 points. In a locked game with no real chances, the Olympians only needed a small goal from their midfielder, Morgan Sanson, to return to 4th place in the standings. On the Nice side, it’s a bit more complicated.
A very dull derby
The “eaglets” supporters had high hopes for this Côte d’Azur derby. Hopes dashed by the poor performance of both teams last night. Yet the conditions were ideal for watching a good football match. The pitch was in good condition, the atmosphere was lively with over 30,000 spectators, including 430 Marseille supporters, and both teams played to win. For this, coach Vieira decided to start with the Italian striker Mario Balotelli. A failed return.
OGC Nice quickly decided to take the ball and impose their game. The visitors clearly showed their intentions: to defend well and play counter-attacks. The first half was rather pleasant, and Nice created more opportunities with shots from Balotelli and Saint-Maximin, all well saved by Marseille’s goalkeeper, Steve Mandanda. The hosts dominated but did not capitalize. OM took advantage thanks to Morgan Sanson’s goal just before the break (0-1). The second half mirrored Gym’s start to the season, lacking real conviction and some spark. The Olympians remained content to defend. No chances for them in the 45 minutes. The Nice goalkeeper, Walter Benitez, had no saves to make except for the conceded goal.
On the Nice side, Super Mario’s return didn’t change much. Gym was once again defeated at home by an OM lacking their best players (Luiz Gustavo, Ocampos, and Thauvin) and without brilliance. A match to be forgotten by next Sunday for a crucial away game at Bordeaux to avoid the start of a crisis.
Pierre Ferrand
