On Sunday, Le Gym fell to defeat at Lens on Matchday 31 of L1 (3-0).

A lot of regrets - that's what we will take away from Le Gym's encounter at Lens. Nice's 12 shots in the first half didn't manage to earn them the lead before the break. And Les Aiglons were made to pay for their lack of efficacy in front of goal, with a poor second half performance that saw them punished by a "team of competitors", as Coach Galtier described them.

DESPITE A GOOD FIRST HALF

Les Niçois attacked the match from the very get go. Amine Gouiri beat Doucouré and let rip with a powerful right-footed effort that Jean-Louis Leca pushed away. Les Lensois quickly reacted and Frankowski struck over. However, it was Le Gym that dominated the ball and looked the most dangerous in front of goal in the early stages of the match. On the left wing, Gouiri crossed for Delort who connected with his head, but the ball flew over the bar. A few seconds later, Guessand's right-footed effort from inside the box was deflected off for a corner. Shortly after the fifteen minute mark, Lens were reduced down to ten men after Massadou Haïdara fouled Youcef Atal. 

Christophe Galtier's side put their opposition under pressure in their half. Guessand beat several defenders in the box but saw his effort turned away by Leca. Gouiri was found on the left of the box by Guessand, and the Frenchman struck with the outside of his right foot but a seemingly unbeatable Leca pushed away the forward's effort. Les Rouge et Noir blocked Lens in their final 25 metres and continued to look to find the breakthrough. But efforts from Delort and Lemina and Todibo's header couldn't find the back of the net. Just before half-time, Dante crossed to the far post, but Kluivert was unable to find the target with his effort. Equally just before the break, Youcef Atal was forced off with a shoulder injury after a coming together with Ganago, an injury that he had already suffered this season and during the ACN 2019.

Despite the 12 attempts and total domination, Le Gym headed into the dressing room at the break on level terms.

THE NICE NIGHTMARE

At the start of the second half, the Niçois were caught out by a Lens side that had returned to the pitch determined to attack. Doucouré played the ball into Da Costa in the box and the Portuguese saw his cross deflected and Kalimuendo, who had just come onto the pitch, found the back of the net with a left-footed effort (1-0, 50’). Doucouré doubled the home side's lead with a curled right-footed strike which left Benítez with absolutely no chance (2-0, 55’). Three minutes later, Lemina picked up a second yellow card and was sent off by the referee. Lens and Nice were now 10v10. The nightmare was going to continue for Le Gym. Doucouré beautifully found Kalimuendo in deep, before the forward rounded Benítez and scored into the empty net (3-0, 67’). In the final minutes of the match, in an almost representation of his side's nightmarish second half, Dante was sent off for a tackle on Kalimuendo.

Les Aiglons will have the chance to bounce back next Sunday, with the visit of Lorient (Matchday 32, kick-off at 1pm).