The month of August ends in the worst possible way for OGC Nice, crushed 4-0 by Olympique de Marseille. In a one-sided match, the Eagles never found a solution and were outpaced by Olympians showing noticeable progress.
The four-peat will not happen. Having beaten Marseille three times in the 2013-2014 season, OGC Nice fell this time. In the new Vélodrome, the red and blacks were outplayed by the Phoenicians, who recorded their first home victory of the season. A heavy score of 4-0, reminiscent of the one conceded in Lyon at the start of last season.
Compared to last week’s match against Bordeaux (a 1-3 defeat), Claude Puel made only one change. Souleymane Diawara, in his first start, replaced Kevin Gomis in central defense. Otherwise, no Dario Cvitanich, who started on the bench. The two recruits, Vercauteren and Hult, were once again in the starting eleven.
The match clearly tipped in the first half due to, once again, very approximate refereeing, this evening by Bartolomeu Varela. In the 15th minute, Nice’s striker Alexy Bosetti was the victim of a dangerous tackle by Nkoulou in the penalty area, but the referee did not react, although the foul was clear and obvious. Overwhelmed by the speed of the Marseille attackers, Nice conceded the first goal in the 20th minute, scored by Dimitri Payet. This was followed by waves of attacks from the Phoenicians who increased their lead before halftime with a goal from Florian Thauvin in the 44th minute. At the start of the action, Valentin Eysseric was brought down by Imbula, but Mr. Varela let the game continue, a second refereeing error weighing on the minds of the Nice players, a week after the match against Bordeaux…
Right into the second half, Payet worsened the score, making it 3-0. The OGC Nice defense, solid in Lorient and far from overwhelmed against Bordeaux, was unrecognizable. The substitutions of Albert and Cvitanich did not change the match’s course despite a few actions from Hult and Bosetti. Notably, the entrance of newcomer Alassane Pléa, who was very good and lively during the twenty minutes spent on the field. In the final moments of the match, OM scored another goal through Barrada, tainted by an offside position before the final pass. Final score 4-0, it is heavy.
“We were really below par on several levels. We had far too many inaccuracies to claim a result tonight. I don’t think they were tremendous; it’s mostly us who were not in the game at all and who didn’t know how to implement our play or do what was necessary. We had too many errors,” stated Romain Genevois after the match.
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