Consistent, solid and full of positive intent, OGC Nice ended the fourth match of their pre-season with a 1-1 draw with Villarreal. Morgan Sanson scored his first goal for the Red and Blacks.

With just one week to go before the return of Ligue 1 action against Lille, Le Gym took their preparations to a new level. Facing Villarreal in the Sela Cup, a pre-season tournament organised in Newcastle, Les Aiglons drew 1-1 with an opponent who will be competing in the Europa League this season.

Set-up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Marcin Bulka and Youcef Atal returning to the starting line-up, Francesco Farioli's side generally dominated proceedings. Always keen to create and play out from the back, Nice enjoyed plenty of possession, sometimes starting with their Polish goalkeeper all the way up to Terem Moffi.

Les Aiglons also impressed with the intensity of their pressing, with the likes of Youssouf Ndayishimiye and Morgan Sanson always quick to pressure the opposition.

Although Villarreal posed little threat, Le Gym failed to create any clear-cut chances in the first half, aside from a shot on target from Khephren Thuram (18th).

LE GYM DOMINATE, SANSON SCORES

penalty which was converted by Brereton Diaz, who was first to the rebound after Marcin Bulka's initial stop (0-1, 50').

The Red and Blacks played a high-quality second half. They looked dangerous with Moffi going close but being denied by Gabbia (46'), and then through Youssouf, who almost beat Jorgensen from close range (47'). The team from the Côte d'Azur did not let the Spanish opener put them off. Played in deep, Moffi showed all his strength to hold off Gabbia's return before pulling back for Morgan Sanson.

Nice's first summer signing wasted no time in controlling the ball and firing past the opposition goalkeeper to score his first goal in his new colours (1-1, 55').

Always a force to be reckoned with thanks to their intense pressing, Le Gym came close to getting their second, again through Moffi, who was found by Jérémie Boga on the edge of the box. But the Nigerian striker's curled effort went just wide of Jorgensen's upright (60').

Defensively solid, Dante and his team-mates eventually lost their intensity ten minutes from time when Ndayishimiye was forced off with a slight knock. The Burundi international was very impressive and almost scored from a set-piece in the second half.

After this first big test of the weekend, Les Aiglons will have to follow it up on Sunday (2pm) against another heavyweight: Fiorentina, again at St. James Park.

 

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Hugo Rondet