OGC Nice gave everything they had in the Côte d'Azur derby against AS Monaco this Sunday, winning 2-1 thanks to goals from Evann Guessand and Gaëtan Laborde. The first team to beat ASM this season, Le Gym are back on track in the league.

You don't play a derby, you win it. The famous saying has never seemed so true as it did in Sunday's Côte d'Azur derby at the Allianz Riviera. Having arrived on the pitch lacking in confidence, Le Gym, who were coming off the back of a six-match winless run in all competitions, gave everything they had to topple their neighbours Monaco, who have been unstoppable since the start of the 2024-2025 season. Unbeaten in both the league and the Champions League, the club from the Rock, level on points with PSG after eight rounds of matches, looked to be cloud nine at kick-off. But through sheer determination and attacking ambition, the Rouge et Noir turned around a poor start to the game, giving their fans their first victory over Monaco at the Allianz Riviera since 7th March 2020.

Despite the return of Melvin Bard and Mohamed-Ali Cho to the starting line-up, the red-and-black team still bore the brunt of a strong first quarter of an hour from ASM. With a new defensive line comprising Mohamed Abdelomem, Moïse Bombito and Bard refocused in a central position, Les Aiglons conceded the first shots. Launched down the right by Maghnes Akliouche, Takumi Minamino went close to catching Marcin Bulka off guard with a cross that was saved at the last. Vigilantly deflecting the ball onto his bar, Nice's keeper was assisted by Tom Louchet to clear the danger from his line (11').

GUESSAND SPARKS A COMEBACK FOR LE GYM

Struggling to cope with Monaco's power and pace down the flanks, the Gym rear-guard thought they had been breached when Breel Embolo slotted Minamino's cross into the net after Bulka had pushed it into his path (22'). Fortunately for Pablo Rosario and Co, VAR intervened to flag the Japanese attacking midfielder for offside. However, the blow came moments later when Akliouche's pinpoint pass found Embolo, who fired it back across goal to open the scoring (39', 0-1).

Determined not to let a fifth derby in a row slip through their fingers, the Rouge et Noir hit back, often dangerous on the counter-attack, as was the case with Rosario's recovery and Cho's pass to Boga, who was denied by Majecki's fine save (27'). Driven by a warrior's spirit, the residents of the Allianz Riviera were finally rewarded for their efforts at the end of the first half. On the left side of the Monaco box, Ali Abdi delivered a perfect free-kick on to the head of Evann Guessand, who guided it past Majecki and give himself his second goal in a Côte d'Azur derby, following the one he scored on 11th February (45+1, 1-1).

LABORDE SETS THE ALLIANZ ALIGHT

Invigorated by the equaliser, Franck Haise's men started the second half on the front foot after Vanderson was sent off for pushing Cho during a stoppage in play at the very end of the first half (45+3). That was all it took to unleash Nice's fury. In a fiery atmosphere, Les Aiglons stormed their opponents' goal, creating chance after chance. But neither Boga, whose shot with the outside of his right foot flew wide (52'), nor Guessand (56', 58') and Cho (58') were able to beat Majecki, who made several crucial saves to keep ASM in the game.

But it would take more than that to test the will of the Aiglons, frustrated by their lack of efficiency since the start of the season. Gaëtan Laborde came on with all his determination and fight, and it was he who finally set Nice free, showing all his guile to intercept a back-pass from Krépin Diatta before pouncing on Monaco's Polish goalkeeper, who was finally beaten by the ‘Conquérant's’ well-taken chip (2-1, 71').

LES AIGLONS HOLD ON

Although tired from all their efforts, just three days after their trip to Hungary, the hosts gave nothing away, following the example of an unleashed Hicham Boudaoui. The Prince de Béchar made a series of runs forward to kill the game off in the last ten minutes and could have been rewarded had Majecki not managed to divert his effort wide from the edge of the area (81').

Solid in the closing stages, the Aiglons conceded nothing to claim their first win since an 8-0 victory over Saint-Etienne on September 20th. It was a crucial win to keep them in the top 10 of Ligue 1. Back in 8th place, Le Gym have moved to within a point of 5th-placed Lens. Now it's on to Brest, on Saturday 2nd November (7pm).