This Saturday, OGC Nice traveled to Lens as part of the 6th matchday of Ligue 1 2024/25. With several absentees, the Eagles conceded a draw at Bollaert after an average match (1-1).
Reunion day for Franck Haise! The coach of OGC Nice returned to Bollaert for a match against his former team. This Saturday, the Eagles played their third match in just over a week. For this game, the Gym was not spared from injuries. Uncertain for the match, Mohamed-Ali Cho and Tanguy Ndombele were ultimately not included in the match sheet.
As for the lineup, Franck Haise made significant changes to his starting eleven. Mohamed Abdelmonem, Antoine Mendy, and Hicham Boudaoui started the match. In attack, Jérémie Boga returned as a starter. Youssoufa Moukoko, Dante, and Jonathan Clauss started on the bench.
A Difficult First Half
The beginning of the match was tough for the Niçois. Deprived of the ball, Youssouf Ndayishimiye‘s teammates were saved by their post after less than ten minutes of play. The Gym could not get out of their half. This first half was dominated by Lens, although Nice’s defensive block did not yield.
Defensively stable, Franck Haise‘s men were not very dangerous in attack. Due to recurring errors and a lack of precision in passing, all actions from OGC Nice were hindered. The few bright spots came from Badredine Bouanani.
Improved on the Nice Side in the Second Half
Despite the introduction of Jonathan Clauss and Dante at halftime, OGC Nice continued to face difficulties in the second half. Even though the Eagles were less dominated by Lens. The Niçois could, should have obtained a penalty after a foul on Hicham Boudaoui, an hour into the match.
After reviewing the images, François Letexier decided not to award the penalty. In numerical superiority in the last minutes, OGC Nice pushed hard at the end of the match. But it wasn’t enough, the score remained unchanged (0-0). A logical draw between two teams that did not offer much in this game.
The next match for OGC Nice is on Thursday, October 3rd. The Gym will travel to Lazio Rome for the 2nd matchday of the Europa League. Kick-off for the match is at 6:45 pm.
