Roughly handled at the start of the match and then more assertive, the Aiglons leave Corsica with a draw, but also with many regrets.
After 21 Ligue 1 matches, the Aiglons have suffered only one defeat. However, once again decimated by absences, the Red and Black recorded a third consecutive draw in Ligue 1 (after Bordeaux and Metz). On the challenging pitch at Furiani, Lucien Favre’s men were expected to deliver. They knew it, and their hosts quickly showed that the word “derby” hasn’t lost its meaning.
Despite being organized in a very defensive 5-4-1, SCB put immense pressure to disrupt Nice’s buildup. This pressure and a disastrous pitch forced the Nice players into mistakes, with poor passing and erratic control. Even though Benitez saved an early effort from Danic (2nd minute) following a mistake by Souquet, Oniangue benefited from some luck after a triple (!) error by the Nice defense to beat Benitez with a shot deflected by Dalbert (17th minute).
The Red and Black controlled the ball (70% possession at the half-hour mark) but couldn’t approach Leca’s goal. A 35m shot from Cyprien illustrated the impotence of a Nice team unable to penetrate the double islander defense. But this season, the Gym has added a string to its bow with deadly efficiency on set pieces (28% of their goals compared to 18% last season). From a corner, Souquet cut in at the near post to meet Cyprien’s ball and brought his team back on level terms (1-1, 33rd minute).
1-1 at halftime, the score was relatively flattering for the Gym. In the second half, the Red and Black managed early on to push their block higher up, preventing themselves from being vulnerable to an interception. Balotelli showed skill on a good cross from Dalbert with a chest control and point-blank shot, but Leca was well positioned (48th minute), as he was on a shot from Burner perfectly set up by Cyprien (58th minute). Meanwhile, Diallo had responded with a shot over the bar (49th minute), marking the last real opportunity for the Corsicans in this match.
Nice’s passing was more precise, and SCB captain Yannick Cahuzac committed two significant fouls in less than ten minutes on Balotelli and then Cyprien, logically leaving his team a man down. With 10 against the Ligue 1 co-leaders, François Ciccolini and his team hoped to hold the draw. But despite having complete control over the game in the last half-hour, the Gym created too few clear opportunities. Cyprien (72nd minute), Walter (74th minute), Balotelli (82nd and 90+1 minutes) had chances, but without truly troubling Jean-Louis Leca.
The Aiglons return to the Côte d’Azur with a draw that feels somewhat justified, although they feel there was more to gain. To maintain their position and not allow their rivals to catch up, they must win next Sunday against Guingamp, with a team expected to see many returning from injury.
The stat: 7
The number of points taken by the Gym from a possible 15 in the last five matches. It’s still too little to hope to threaten ASM and PSG, especially with the Côte d’Azur derby on the horizon…
Lucien Favre’s reaction:
“In the 11 against 10 setup, we could have made it 2-1. We didn’t manage it. We needed to be more aggressive. We dominated with a lot of possession from the beginning of the second half, and even more after the red card. We should have penetrated their box more, moved more. We lost a lot of balls because they pressed us well. I think they anticipated our 3-5-2 system and devised a 3-4-2-1 system, a kind of Christmas tree. It was difficult to break out, and we made many mistakes in our build-up play. Oniangue disturbed us. But generally, we lacked movement, both defensively and offensively.”
Vincent Koziello’s reaction:
“It’s always tough to come to Bastia, especially given the particular context. They showed a lot of aggression, scored quickly, but we managed to respond. Nonetheless, it feels like two points dropped for us. There are still plenty of points to win, and we need to refocus for what’s ahead. Tonight, the final pass failed us. We had 1 or 2 chances to score, but that’s not enough to win the match.”
Arnaud Souquet’s reaction:
“At the start, we were a bit shaken up. We made some mistakes, myself included. After conceding the opening goal, things got more complicated, but we reacted well. We regret not being able to score again and win. We’re disappointed because we aim to win every match, no matter the opponent.”
