OGC Nice secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over 10-man RC Lens in Ligue 1 Round 21 on Saturday night, bouncing back from their shock Coupe de France exit earlier in the week.
Match Recap
Nice dominated from the start, with Evann Guessand scoring in the fifth minute, only for VAR to disallow the goal for a foul by Mohamed-Ali Cho. However, Le Gym didn’t have to wait long to take the lead.
- Melvin Bard capitalized on Neil El-Aynaoui’s lapse in concentration, setting up Hicham Boudaoui, who was fouled by Adrien Thomasson in the box.
- Gaëtan Laborde converted the penalty to put Nice 1-0 ahead.
Lens had a rare chance when M’Bala Nzola blasted over, but Nice quickly reasserted control.
- Hervé Koffi made a stunning save to deny Jonathan Clauss from close range.
- Boudaoui missed two golden chances, including a one-on-one opportunity stopped by Koffi’s fingertips.
Lens’ task became even harder when Facundo Medina received a second yellow card, leaving them down to 10 men.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Andy Diouf nearly equalized, going on a brilliant solo run before curling inches wide. However, Jonathan Clauss sealed the win, scoring from a well-worked short corner to put the game to bed.
Nzola had a late chance, but Marcin Bulka made a crucial save to preserve Nice’s clean sheet.
OGC Nice Player Ratings
Marcin Bulka – 6/10
Made some solid saves but wasn’t heavily tested throughout the match.
Dante – 5/10
A steady presence at the back but wasn’t particularly involved.
Moïse Bombito – 7/10
Strong defensive display, limited Lens’ attacking chances.
Youssouf Ndayishimiye – 6/10
Kept things tidy in defense and midfield transitions.
Melvin Bard – 6/10
Smart play led to the opening goal; active down the left side.
Hicham Boudaoui – 4/10
Missed two big chances and was not at his best despite winning the penalty.
Baptiste Santamaria – 6/10
Controlled the midfield and provided stability.
Jonathan Clauss – 7/10
⭐ Scored against his former club, should have had a second. Strong attacking presence down the right.
Evann Guessand – 7/10
Had an early goal disallowed but looked dangerous throughout.
Gaëtan Laborde – 6/10
Scored the penalty but was otherwise quiet.
Mohamed-Ali Cho – 6/10
Energetic but didn’t have a major impact.
RC Lens Player Ratings
Jonathan Gradit – 3/10
Struggled throughout and was caught out several times.
Hervé Koffi – 6/10
⭐ Made three excellent saves to keep Lens in the match but looked shaky at times.
Neil El-Aynaoui – 4/10
Made a costly error leading to Nice’s opening goal.
Andy Diouf – 6/10
⭐ Almost scored a wonder goal, Lens’ best attacking outlet.
Match Verdict
Nice’s dominance and Lens’ numerical disadvantage made this a comfortable win for the hosts. Clauss and Guessand were standout performers, while Diouf was the only bright spark for Lens.
Final Score: OGC Nice 2-0 RC Lens
