At the end of a superb performance, Le Gym ran out authoritative 3-0 winners over Toulouse in the closing match of Ligue 1's Week 16. Nice return to the outright league lead after putting a huge smile on their fans' faces.

Their legs may well have been heavy. Their bodies sapped by the pitched battle they fought in mid-week. But on the contrary, the lads were in fine fettle, they knew what they wanted to do and they knew how to do it. Fielded in their habitual 4-3-3 formation, with Rémi Walter taking Vincent Koziello's spot in the middle of the park (the only change from the starting XI that faced Guignamp), Nice roundly dominated proceedings for long stretches. And they did so while forcing the Toulouse bloc onto the back foot, by raiding the flanks and getting in behind the defence.

The duo formed by Dalbert and Belhanda on the left quickly began to pose problems for Toulouse. Les Violets went for density and looked to stifle the Nice midfield. But our lads didn't hesitate, and went over the top to make the break. From his position in the centre of defence, captain Dante found Plea with a 50-metre pass, and the young striker made no mistake as he tackled the ball first time through the legs of Lafont to open the scoring (23'). The Allianz erupted.

It was Plea's ninth Ligue 1 goal of the campaign and he ran to celebrate it with his great friend Vincent Koziello (pictured), and shortly afterwards was celebrating again… this time for Younès Belhanda's making it 2-0. Thanks to another inch-perfect pass from the Brazilian defender, our number five had a chance to pull out a sublime first touch and follow up before the ball had hit the deck. With Lafont lobbed, the Rouge et Noir fans roared with joy, honouring their Aiglons who had turned up the match with a fire in the belly.

The referee's whistle put an end to 45 minute of pure beauty in which the home side had dazzled with their technical skill, cool heads and confidence (as well as  70% possession and 93% pass success rate…). And almost gone 3-0 up thanks to a clinical Wylan Cyprien free-kick that the Toulouse 'keeper managed to just tip over his bar (38').

Belhanda runs riot

Still smarting from the draw with Bastia, a result due to a botched start to he second half, the Rouge et Noir returned to the pitch with determination - and they continued to dominate as if the half-time break hadn't even happened. A skidding shot from Seri and one over the bar from Plea materialised in the first five minutes of the half, and the tone was set. Full focused, the Aiglons put on a show. Pascal Dupraz quickly looked to inject some fresh impetus into his XI, having been forced to do without Diop and Julien for the match. 

However, the entry into play of Edouard and Bodiger did nothing to loosen the home side's grip on the match. With long passages of crisp, short passing, alternation between playing through the middle or moving it our wide, Nice ran the show and kept their shape - without leaving any crumbs for their opponents and without denying themselves a third goal from a superb team move just after the hour-mark. After a volley of short passes, Eysseric found Plea, who picked out Belhanda. The playmaker, whose sublime skills were on show all night in a fantastic performance, picked out the number 14 with a deft chip and the nod down fell to Mika Seri. Cool, calm and collected, the Ivorian international calmly slotted past Lafont.

Sarr's leg provided an unfortunate deflection for Sylla's goal-bound effort and the Nice goal remained unbreached. The scoreboard remained locked at 3-0.

With these three new points, which take Nice's tally to 39 from 16 matches, Le Gym return to the top of the table - at the expense of their Monegasque neighbours - and also take a four-point lead over Paris a week ahead of their trip to the Parc des Princes to defy the reigning four-time champions of France.

C.D.

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