To explain the expression “on alternating current” to your child, show him a list of the latest Nice results. Impressive in the Coupe de France against Marseille (4-1), OGC Nice fell to Lyon (2-0) on Saturday February 12. Dominated in length, width and crosswise, the Aiglons only carried an episodic danger on the Lyon cage (a single shot). Still 3rd with this second defeat in a row in Ligue 1, the Gym can find themselves outdistanced by Marseille on Sunday. Worse, Strasbourg, 4th, could return to a point in the event of victory at Angers.
Superb victory of the #teamOL in front of Nice!
Game, beautiful gestures and solidity, the @GroupamaStadium had fun #OLOGCN 2-0 pic.twitter.com/vA9oPNBuZX
— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) February 12, 2022
But Nice was above all copiously dominated by an enterprising Lyon team. Shaken by a vindictive banner from their supporters, Les Gones responded on the pitch. From the 7th minute, Moussa Dembélé opened the scoring from the penalty spot. The Rhone domination then did not weaken. Guided by their maestro Lucas Paqueta, the Olympians showed great collective streaks. The two recruits Tanguy Ndombele and Romain Faivre have, for their first tenure, well founded in animation.
It is also from an opening of the ex-Spur that came the second goal, scored by Karl Toko Ekambi (52nd). A week after his rout of Monaco (0-2), Lyon pulled themselves together. The principles of play so much praised by Peter Bosz in a press conference seem to have been inculcated, OL are now expected to last. With Lens and Lille on the menu for the next few days, we will see more clearly about the consistency of Lyon. For the time being, Léo Dubois’ teammates are provisionally 6th, five points behind Nice.
This race for Europe, Lille intends to get involved. Corrected by Paris last week (1-5), Losc corrected the situation in Montpellier (0-1). A goal from Xeka in the last quarter of an hour was enough to keep the Northerners happy. With 35 points and despite, again, a chronic irregularity, the Mastiffs come back to two lengths behind Rennes, 5th.
Above all, they kept their clean sheet for the first time in two months. Not a luxury, ten days before a trip to Chelsea in the Champions League (February 22, 9 p.m.). This success also allows Lille to overtake Montpellier. Defeated for the fourth time in five outings in 2022, the MHSC is not yet released but could switch to the second part of the table on Sunday.