Le Gym won 3-2 in Lecce on Sunday in their penultimate match of the pre-season campaign. Evann Guessand, Jonathan Clauss and Badredine Bouanani were all on target.

An hour controlling the match, a trickier final 30 minutes and a fiery finale: that was the overall picture of our Aiglons' performance. Lining up in a 3-4-3 formation (see team below) with two weeks to go before the resumption of L1 action at Auxerre, Le Gym were initially calm and confident in their strength and ideas. After a quarter of an hour, Guessand's opener - which needed two bites - was fully deserved.

⚽️ L'ouverture du score d'Evann Guessand face à Lecce (0-1) au quart d'heure de jeu.#OGCNice pic.twitter.com/KtnTU0SDZe

— OGC Nice (@ogcnice) August 4, 2024

It could have come a minute earlier, when Morgan Sanson had two chances, one saved by Fruchtl and the other by Baschirotto off the line. And then Louchet's perfect cross for Boga could have led to a second goal, but the Ivorian international missed the target.

Nice held firm in defence and didn't concede a single chance before the break.

First touch... and first goal for Clauss

And then they took a two-goal lead immediately after play resumed. The only change made at half-time was Jonathan Clauss coming on, and the new recruit's first touch of the ball showed all his quality. Well set up by Mohamed-Ali Cho (the former Angers man's third assist of the summer), French international extended Les Aiglons' lead to 2-0 with a well-struck side-footed finish.

⚽️ Entré en jeu à la pause, Jonathan Clauss inscrit immédiatement son 1er but avec l'#OGCNice face à Lecce (0-2, 47e). pic.twitter.com/lfnShZtl6L

— OGC Nice (@ogcnice) August 4, 2024

After Nice had made the break, Lecce upped the tempo. Buoyed by Pierotti up front and the Berisha-Marchwinski duo in midfield, the Italians, who return to official action next week, forced Le Gym back into their own half. Less clear-headed, less fresh, Le Gym finally cracked.

Polish international Filip Marchwinski, a summer arrival at Lecce, played a nasty trick on his international team-mate Marcin Bulka, scoring twice (70', 74') to bring the Giallorossi level.

Galvanised, Luca Gotti's players went in search of victory in front of their home crowd. But it was Franck Haise's side who struck the winning blow, on the stroke of full-time. A summer trend.

Thanks to yet another ball won high up the pitch by the excellent Boudaoui, Nice made the most of their last chance. The 'Prince of Béchar' set up Badredine Bouanani, whose delightful touch and shot combination earned the Algerian international his first goal of the pre-season - and Nice their first win of the summer.

⚽️ Le 3e but de l'#OGCNice à Lecce. Boudaoui surgit. Bouanani conclut (2-3, 87e) 💫 pic.twitter.com/lDer0FdMqN

— OGC Nice (@ogcnice) August 4, 2024

Ndombele, Laborde, Brahimi and Bouanani came on after the break, as did Clauss.

Before resuming their L1 campaign at Auxerre, Les Aiglons face a final test at Ipswich next Saturday (kick-off 13:30).

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