After a strong first half, OGC Nice were not rewarded for their efforts and lost 2-1 away to Lille on Friday evening. Sofiane Diop scored Le Gym's only goal of the game.

Les Aiglons will have plenty to regret this Friday evening. Travelling to the north of France to take on Bruno Genesio's LOSC, who were on a 20-game unbeaten run in all competitions prior to kick-off, Le Gym lost 2-1 in the first match of their Ligue 1 return. Yet it was Franck Haise's men who looked the most dangerous in this battle at the top of the table.

Three days after winning the derby at Bastia (0-1) in the Coupe de France Round of 32, the Rouge et Noir were determined to continue their fine run of form in which they had yet to lose in 2025. Dante and Co put all the ingredients in place for a fine evening, creating the best chances from the outset. Gaëtan Laborde, who scored twice at Reims last weekend, was the first to make his mark from the edge of the area, forcing Lucas Chevalier into a magnificent save to keep the ball out of the top corner (4'). It was then Sofiane Diop's turn to test the French goalkeeper, following a classy team move started by Ali Abdi and Laborde. Getting down to stop the effort despite the tricky rebound, the goalkeeper frustrated the Gym playmaker (13').

A CONTROLLED FIRST HALF

The Aiglons were in no danger, confident in their defensive strengths, and allowed their European rivals to control the ball, while proving very dangerous on the counter. It was this pattern of play that finally made the difference for the men in white. After Mohamed-Ali Cho burst through the middle, Jonathan Clauss showed all his attacking intelligence to cross hard in front of goal, forcing Chevalier to push the ball out. Diop took full advantage, finishing from close range to score his fifth goal of the season (0-1, 29').

Franck Haise's side were rewarded for their efforts, but they did not stop playing. Although Thomas Meunier, very active on the right flank, tested Marcin Bułka, forcing the Polish international to make his own save (44'), it was Le Gym who created the last real chance of the first half. After a good knock-on from Laborde following a Clauss corner, Tanguy Ndombele pounced but his effort unfortunately ended up hitting the crossbar (45' + 2).

LOSC MORE CLINICAL

It was a huge chance that the Aiglons regretted from the start of the second half. Just after coming on, the dazzling Osame Sahraoui broke down the middle, allowing Jonathan David to set up Hakon Haraldsson on the left of the box. With the Iceland international unmarked, he did not hesitate to surprise Bułka at his near post (1-1, 49').

Scoring from one of their first chances of the game, Les Nordistes were invigorated by their early equaliser and increasingly troubled the Côte d'Azur defence with their pressing. Unable to get the ball out and look dangerous on the counter as they had at the start of the game, the Rouge et Noir fell back. And they were punished for it. Following a Mitchel Bakker corner, the unlucky Jonathan Clauss inadvertently diverted the ball back to Bafodé Diakité after a scramble in the box. From close range, the central defender beat Bułka to give the home side the lead (2-1, 63').

FOCUS ON EUROPE AND THE DERBY

It was a real blow for Les Niçois, who struggled to respond to this setback. Although the pace of the final period was much slower than that of the first half, the visitors did have another huge chance. After a superb run by Evann Guessand, Melvin Bard was set up well and fired wide from the edge of the six-yard box (87').

The Ecully native's shot into the side-netting was the perfect symbol of a frustrating evening for the Aiglons, who were not rewarded for their many efforts. Now in fifth place ahead of the Olympique Lyonnais match this weekend, the Rouge et Noir will turn their attention to Europe, with a trip to Elfsborg in the Europa League on Thursday. Before returning to the league for a fiery derby against OM next Sunday (kick-off 8.45pm at the Allianz Riviera).

Hugo Rondet