Jorge Sampaoli had it all figured out. The return from the locker room was going to be decisive, Wednesday, February 9, during this quarter-final of the Coupe de France between Nice and Olympique de Marseille. While his team was behind, Sampaoli took advantage of half-time to make a tactical change: take out a defender, Leo Balerdi, in great difficulty, to bring in a striker, Cédric Bakambu.
Sparkling since his arrival on the “planet Mars” this winter, number 13 stood out as soon as he entered the lawn. After three minutes (48th), he even scored the equalizing goal on a service from Dimitri Payet. Paid coaching and promise of a boosted second period: the divine bald Argentinian has succeeded. Or almost.
Without the euphoria really being able to touch the Marseillais, the goal was logically refused for an indisputable offside position. So too bad, the blow was well felt but it will not be for this time. And it won’t be short. Almost immediately, Justin Kluivert showered the last Marseille hopes.
Lucky to take back a ball badly cleared by Duje Caleta-Car, the Dutchman then made the powder speak (49th). After a few steps to open his way to the goal, he signed an overpowered strike, with more devastating effects, and less idiotic, than a bottle of water thrown from the top of a tribune. A hell of a blow behind the heads of the Marseillais.
After a first period of rare intensity, the Marseillais found themselves breathless again, as soon as they returned from the locker room. Left to lay siege to the Nice camp and try to make up for their gap in the score, they found themselves led by two goals (3-1). The kind of fatal blow that breaks the legs. Because thereafter, the players of Christophe Galtier definitively established their domination. The intensity of the first period still present, the Aiglons were pushing. And once again, the light came from Justin Kluivert.
Double scorer, this time he turned into a passer. From a long center from right to left, he found the man with the tattooed tear under his eye, Andy Delort, who, somehow, took the ball back to slip it into the back of the net. The goal of knockout. Explosions too.
Half an hour from the end of regulation time, the clash at the top that was announced to be explosive swung into euphoria. The last moments would be anecdotal since nothing could prevent Nice from spinning in the semi-finals. At this stage of the competition, they will find the little Versailles thumb (N2) who must have trembled when he saw the Nice attack at work.