First French Cup match for the 2021-2022 season for OGC Nice. It’s against Stade Olympique Cholet, 8th in the National league, that the Gym will have to beat to reach the round of 16 of the competition.
5 minutes into the game and things are already heating up at Omnisports Jean Bouin, Nice immediately earns a corner but it won’t go any further.
Huge chance for Cholet, Yacine Fortuné, trained at Arsenal, hits the post with a right-footed shot at the edge of the area!
The first quarter of an hour of this match has so far been in favor of Cholet, the Nice players are not creative enough despite good ball possession. Richard Désiré’s players often recover the ball and attack with a lot of enthusiasm.
Another chance for Cholet who dominates the match. Makan Sidibé tries his luck at the edge of the area (18th).
On the counter, the Cholet players make a difference and always manage to hurt the Azurean defense.
40th minute after another nice counter-attack by the National league players, a free kick 30m from Bulka’s goal. It ends calmly in the Polish goalkeeper’s hands.
The Cholet players look more dangerous at the end of this first half. Thanks to beautiful counter-attacks, they regularly get into the Nice area.
The Nice players need to come back much stronger in the second half, they were shaken by the Cholet players who showed more desire and combativeness.
The Eagles have the ball at the start of the second half, still no clear chances so far.
After good work from Stengs, Thuram tries his luck at the edge of the area but it goes far into the clouds (48th).
Interesting free kick for the gym in the 51st minute, after a nice run by Thuram on the left wing of the pitch, the referee awards a free kick. It’s taken by Justin Kluivert who is close to finding his captain Dante at the penalty spot. It’s finally cleared by the Cholet defense.
Another free kick for the Azureans at the edge of the area, this time it’s in the center and Gouiri is going to take it. The French attacker and promising talent chooses power and aims down the middle, Kocic is on this ball and deflects it for a corner (54th).
What a chance for Cholet! After a foul by Schneiderlin, a free kick taken 30m from the Nice goal. It comes back to Le Méhauté’s feet, he crosses his shot and it passes a few centimeters from Bulka’s right post!
Goal for Nice by Andy Delort on one of the rare chances of this match! Kluivert on his left side feints and crosses for Delort, the Algerian heads it in and scores! 0-1 at the hour mark!
Andy Delort has just been substituted and Evan Guessand replaces him. On the first ball for the French-Ivorian striker, he’s close to doubling the lead for the gym. Sent deep by Thuram, he tries an outside shot to trick Kocic, but it’s off target (68th).
What an opportunity for Cholet! After a beautiful team movement, Le Méhauté receives the ball alone in the area. He opens his foot, but Bulka is there and saves the ball (72nd).
Another huge chance, once again coming from the left side. Jarju outruns the entire Nice defense and manages to find himself alone against Bulka. Thanks to a good save by the Polish goalkeeper, the Stade Olympique Choletais winger hits it just centimeters from the right post (77th). New scare for the Gym who clearly deserve to be equalized.
Big shot from Ruffaut, the SOC captain from thirty meters out. It’s far from the target, but it’s still a warning for OGC Nice (86th).
In the last seconds of added time in this match, a final chance for Richard Désiré’s team: it starts with a long ball from Ruffaut who sends a deep ball. The Gym defense cannot clear it, and it almost falls back into Gameiro’s feet. Having passed through OGC Nice’s youth academy, the young striker shoots but it’s blocked and cleared by Dante. The referee blows the final whistle.
Victory for OGC Nice at Cholet. For this first French Cup match, the Eagles were not at all brilliant, they would have even deserved to be beaten by the more creative and determined underdogs. On one of the very few chances of the match, Kluivert found Delort’s head.
Wednesday evening, Nice will face Lens and will have to significantly raise their level to measure up.
