Having trailed, then lead, Le Gym finally fell to defeat against Dijon during matchday 25 of L1 (2-3). After an extraordinary game and crazy second half, they will be kicking themselves tonight.

Dijon like to attack, Nice do too. So the encounter promised to be open. It didn’t disappoint and unfortunately, the Niçois bore the consequences. It got underway with the best of omens for Lucien Favre’s side. Set-up in their traditional 4-3-3, with Marlon starting for the first time on the right of the back four and returns to the starting 11 for both Balotelli and Lees-Melou (suspended against Toulouse), the Aiglons stamped a real rhythm on the game. More inspired and more incisive, they put the home side under pressure in the first quarter of an hour. After 5 minutes, the Italian centre forward piled on the pressure and stole the ball on the goal line then moved towards goal. From a tight angle, he looked to strike between Reynet’s legs - despite a smart run from Plea who was six metres out-, but the keeper closed the door.

A move which summed up perfectly the Aiglons start to the game: lots of desire but not accurate enough. The proof: the multitude of strikes that lead to nothing.

With the first fifteen minutes gone, Dijon, who were playing in their 100th game in L1 on Saturday, loosened slightly the grip of Le Gym. Playing several metres further up the pitch and putting their feet on the ball, but they never really troubled Walter Benitez’s goal during the first half (except from a couple of free-kicks and a off-target strike from Said in the 39th minute).

With being dominated, Le Gym set out to defend well, but were too sketchy in attack. This included when Balotelli played to Plea, in the middle, but the excellent Reynet just beat the number 14 to it by a hair (31’). Il Signore tried his luck with two free-kicks at the end of the half, but he didn’t get enough behind his first effort and couldn’t find the target with the second. The players headed into the dressing rooms without having brought a crazy rhythm to the game.

A bad scenario

This was to change upon their return to pitch. And whilst the start of the first half belonged to the Niçois, the start of the second turned in the favour of the Dijonnais. Two minutes after kick-off, Julio Tavares made the most of a long ball from Baptiste Reynet which was flicked on by Naim Sliti to be through on goal. After a 40 metre run, the attacker could only hit Walter Benitez’s bar (47’). Le Gym got rather hot under the collar, despite the cold temperatures. They reared up, rose up, but made a hash of three huge chances. Tameze found the foot of Reynet (51’), Balotelli, alone at the far post, didn’t take advantage of a good cross from Lees-Melou and pulled his side-footed effort wide (54’), then Srarfi found an attentive Djilobodji (56’). With football being an unforgiving game, Nice quickly kicked themselves after that series of missed chances. Played in by Amalfitano, Tavares got the better of Benitez in their second dual of the evening and opened the scoring with his left foot (0-1, 61’).

The story seemed to be written: Le Gym would need to head into the Round of 32 Europa League game on the back of 3 consecutive L1 defeats. It followed the story despite a proud reaction. Having just come on to replace Srarfi, Saint-Maximin took the game by the scruff of the neck and got it going. With one of his first touches, the winger found Lees-Melou 18 metres out: and the former Dijonnais struck with incredible accuracy, equalised, and very elegantly didn’t celebrate his goal (1-1, 66’).

Straight after, it was Plea’s turn to shine. Making the most of an advanced Rosier, “Lasso” hurtled down the left wing, left Yambéré in his wake, struck towards goal superbly and found the back of the net (2-1, 68’).

A more than questionable decision from Mr Rainville was needed to turn the balance of the game once more. The referee punished “a slight push” from Sarr in the penalty area, and Tavares earned his brace (2-2, 78’). Galvanised by this goal, and making the most of the electric context, Dijon retook the lead after a pass from Jeannot was converted by Kwon (2-3, 83’), and this time Dante and his teammates couldn’t find a way back .

The 25th game of L1 therefore ended badly.

Le Gym will need to bounce back quickly for one of the most important chapters of the club’s history, on Thursday night against Lokomotiv Moscow.

C.D.

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