The tension reached its peak last night at the Ray Stadium. In a tough match, OGC Nice was defeated by AS Saint-Etienne (0-2). Too nervous and too soft, René Marsiglia’s men experienced a nightmarish evening.
This Nice-ASSE promised to be sizzling. The spectators present in the stands of the Ray stadium on Saturday got what they came for.
Once the match started, the Stéphanois set the tone. From the 2nd minute, Sylvain Marchal found Banel Nicolita on the left side. The Romanian attempted a cross, but he was stopped by the well-organized Nice defense.
Stung into action, René Marsiglia’s men emerged from their bases. By the 7th minute, Civelli, Monzon, and Mouloungui were setting the green house alight. But the attempts by the Argentinians and the Gabonese were all repelled by a spirited Stéphane Ruffier.
The awakening of the Greens angers the Niçois
Dominant since the injury of Paulao (replaced by Kurt Zouma), the Greens struggled to reclaim the Nice territory. Until Renato Civelli blundered in the 21st minute, allowing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to head towards the goal. Faced with his responsibilities, David Ospina stepped out and hooked the Stéphanois’ top scorer.
The referee, Ruddy Buquet, didn’t hesitate: penalty and red card! The Colombian goalkeeper’s 100th game in Ligue 1 turned into a nightmare. So did his team’s evening. For Florent Sinama-Pongolle showed no fear. The native of Saint-Pierre (Reunion) sent Ospina’s sub, Raul Fernandez, the wrong way (23rd minute).
The match had turned, but the intensity remained high. The tackles stayed harsh. Faouzi Ghoulam received a warning for a foul on Dja Dje-Dje.
In the 28th minute, OGC Nice was reduced to nine men, after an Eric Mouloungui tackle on Fabien Lemoine. While the former Rennes player writhed in pain, Ruddy Buquet was forced to play the peacemaker to calm tempers.
Despite these mishaps, Christophe Galtier’s men continued to attack. From a winding corner, Banel Nicolita found young Kurt Zouma, who beat Raul Fernandez with a powerful header to the near post.
Saint-Etienne doubled their lead (38th minute). They even scored a third goal shortly after. But the referee rightly disallowed it due to a deliberate handball by Sinama-Pongolle, who was booked for his offense.
The Greens take risks, Nice implodes
Dominant and with a numerical advantage, ASSE logically led at halftime against a Côte d’Azur side that was too aggressive.
In the second half, the atmosphere remained tense. On the field, fouls came one after another. Meanwhile, the clock was ticking. The Greens seemed content with the 2-0 score, despite their numerical advantage.
The Niçois then attempted everything, like Franck Dja Dje-Dje, who forced Stéphane Ruffier to make another save in the 70th minute.
This burst of play was enjoyable to watch, but it didn’t last. The challenges remained harsh. In the 85th minute, the rough Renato Civelli was there to remind everyone. Guilty of a nasty tackle on Florent Sinama-Pongolle, the Argentinian was also sent off.
It was then that the atmosphere turned toxic. In the stands of the Ray, as well as around the stadium. Firecrackers went off, and fans fought in the streets, causing fear among some spectators seated in the stands.
To the point that the match result (2-0) became insignificant for Les Aiglons. Meanwhile, OGC Nice slipped into the relegation zone (19th place).
Photo credit: www.ogcnice.com
