This Sunday afternoon, OGC Nice traveled to Strasbourg for the 31st matchday of Ligue 1. Initially trailing, Nice turned the match around and walked away with three points (1-3).
A few days after the frustrating draw in Marseille (2-2), Nice undertook a second consecutive away game this weekend. OGC Nice headed to the Meinau to face Strasbourg. With four matchdays left in the championship, victory is imperative for the team, still in the race for European qualification.
For this match, Francesco Farioli made several changes to his starting lineup. Pablo Rosario started in an unusual role as a right back. Youssouf Ndayishimiye returned as a starter. Finally, Evann Guessand was preferred over Terem Moffi at the forefront of the Nice attack. Having scored at the Vélodrome on Wednesday, the Nigerian striker began this game on the bench.
The Nice Team Shaken
The Aiglons faced an early scare in this game. Dilane Bawka’s long-range shot hit the post of Marcin Bulka. Nice’s response was swift, but Evann Guessand‘s shot went over the Strasbourg net. Shaken, Nice logically conceded the opening goal. After a turnover by Mohamed Ali Cho, Strasbourg countered.
Marcin Bulka saved Emmanuel Emegha‘s shot, but the ball fell to Dilane Bakwa, who pushed it into the net (1-0). Nice struggled in the first half, as evidenced by another opportunity for Guessand, whose wide shot missed the target. Mohamed Ali Cho won a penalty after a foul by Thomas Delaine. Evann Guessand converted it with an excellent penalty kick (1-1). Nice equalized just before the break.
Dante Scores
The pace did not slow down in the second half. Nice took the lead thanks to their captain. From a corner by Jérémie Boga, Dante rose above everyone to head the ball into the net (1-2). The Brazilian scored his first goal of this season, nearly fifteen months after his last goal in the championship (February 2, 2023 vs Ajaccio). The defender became the fourth player in Ligue 1 history to score a goal at over forty years of age in the championship.
Nice was more enterprising in the second half. Their pressing and solid defensive block troubled the Alsatians. Confident, the Aiglons managed the second half calmly. On a counterattack, Nice increased their lead. Just substituted in, Romain Perraud found Morgan Sanson in the center. From the edge of the area, the Nice midfielder scored with a low shot (3-1). OGC Nice secured the win in the final minutes. The Gym makes a strong push in the race for European spots.
No match is scheduled for the Aiglons next week. OGC Nice was supposed to host PSG for the 32nd matchday of Ligue 1. The Parisians will be playing their UEFA Champions League semi-final this week. Hence, the match between the two teams is postponed to Wednesday, April 15. In the meantime, Nice will face Le Havre on Friday, April 10, at the Allianz Riviera, for the 33rd matchday of the championship. The kickoff is at 9 p.m.