On the eve of what promises to be a thrilling end to the season in Ligue 1, there are some pivotal matches that must not be lost. This is surely how the RC Lens-OGC Nice this Saturday evening could be interpreted. Unable to win their last six matches in all competitions, the Aiglons had no room for error at Bollaert against the Artésiens who could take a five-point lead over their evening opponents in the event of a victory. Obviously, this unmissable meeting started with crazy intensity between two teams with the knife between their teeth. Tactical shock announced, one of the keys to this meeting lay in the quality of recovery of the two teams.
And while Marcin Bulka could have been surprised by the lightning pressing of Sotoca (5th), it was ultimately the Azuréens who were able to make the difference by exploiting an opposing failure. Hesitant, Facundo Medina saw Mohamed Ali-Cho rushing towards him to recover the ball. Neither one nor two, the former Angevin found himself in front of the opposing cage and offered a caviar to Terem Moffi who only had to finish in the empty goal (0-1, 11th). Sheepish following this unexpected opening score, the Sang et Or got their heads back on track and took advantage of Morgan Sanson’s exit on the hour mark to put pressure on the Nice goals. However, Elye Wahi was too clumsy (32nd, 41st) and David Pereira Da Costa was unlucky (45th) to put the two teams back on level terms before the break.
Lens took on water in an incredible manner in the second half
Returning from the locker room, Nice tried to get their foot back on the ball. And after a timid hold of a few minutes, the Aiglons saw Lens offer them a second gift to take off. Hazardous in front of his area, Nampalys Mendy accidentally slipped the ball to Khephren Thuram who was quick to score his first goal of the season (0-2, 53rd). A second Nice achievement all the more frustrating as Elye Wahi thought he had equalized in the previous action. The offside flag was finally raised (52nd). Stunned, Franck Haise’s flock tried to draw on their resources to reduce the gap, but were again weighed down by an individual error.
This time, Abdukodir Khusanov was guilty of a stupid foul in the area by surrounding Pablo Rosario. An offering for Terem Moffi who crucified Brice Samba. Double for the Nigerian striker who scored his ninth goal of the season in the elite (0-3, 67th). Author of errors which led to defeat, RC Lens found a small glimmer of hope thanks to the reduction of the gap from Elye Wahi (76th), finally scoring this evening after several attempts. However, despite a painful last quarter of an hour for them, the visitors left with a generally deserved victory. Nice returns to success at the best of times: these three points allow Francesco Farioli’s gang to move up to fourth place and overtake their evening opponents. Lens misses a great opportunity to take off and slips to sixth place.
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