After its big victory once morest OM (4-1), Nice will meet the Petit Poucet of National 2, Versailles, winner of Bergerac on penalties (1-1, 5 to 4 in the T.a.b.) for a totally new semi-final, which will take place, at the very beginning of March, in a stadium that remains to be defined.
His Monegasque neighbors, winner of Amiens (2-0) will meanwhile move to the lawn of the winner of Nantes-Bastia, played this Thursday evening.
It will take “respect our opponent”, warned Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere to AFP, as soon as the draw was revealed following his team’s superb qualification once morest an outclassed Marseille team.
Versailles wins the duel of amateur clubs
Versailles (National 2) got its ticket to the semi-finals of the Coupe de France by dismissing Bergerac (N2) (1-1, 5-4 shots on goal) in the duel of amateur clubs, Wednesday, February 9, at the Stade Francis-Rongiéras, in Périgueux.
On a hostile, bumpy terrain, the team of Youssef Chibhi led his boat perfectly to imitate Calais (finalist in 2000), Montceau-les-Mines (2007), Quevilly (2010) and Rumilly (2021), the only formations of the 4e have reached this stage of the competition.
A gently wrapped one by Inza Diarrassouba (14e minute), the first goal conceded by Bergerac in the competition, had allowed the Yvelinois to dream of an easy qualification in this clash of ambitious amateurs, who did honor to football from below. More solid and willing to be dominated, the Versaillais delivered behind the almost perfect match on the outside, without panicking and repelling all the often disorderly assaults of Erwan Lannuzel’s men.
The last ten minutes, increased to ten following the expulsion of Christopher Ibayi (79e), further increased the local pressure rewarded in the last minute by Axel Tressens (90e), shifted to the left, who crossed a strike on the inbound post of Dan Delaunay, not worried so far. Dordogne defender Kevin Mingoua failed in the penalty shootout.
Nice dominates the OM
After the serious outbursts of August 22, 2021, with the interruption of the meeting following the invasion of the field and the blows given by some Nice supporters, the return of Marseille to Nice was announced electric. It was, but only on the pitch, sounding like the beginning of a reconciliation between the game and the supporters.
In front of coach Didier Deschamps and his assistant Guy Stephan, Nice played a great match. Christophe Galtier tactically beat Jorge Sampaoli. And above all, the attacking trio of the Aiglons, Gouiri-Delort-Kluivert, was impressive.
However, it was OM who opened the scoring, in the third minute, with a goal once morest his side of defender Melvin Bard, following a strike from Marseille’s Cengiz Under. Despite this stroke of fate, the Nice side remained in its match. Combative, he was the true left winger of the Aiglons who started with three defensive midfielders. And a solid point of support for Amine Gouiri, poison of the Olympian rearguard.
The latter, following passing Saliba in speed, made a mischievous little bridge on Belardi, before equalizing and making roar a stadium that was just waiting for that (1-1, 11e). Neither the men of Galtier, nor the Nice public had time to gamble. Put back on the right path, Nice then continued to attack. Justin Kluivert has been deft. His poked head completed a perfect collective action with Gouiri and Delort (2-1, 29e).
A minute following a goal from Marseille’s Cédric Bakambu denied for offside in the 48e minute, Justin Kluivert discouraged his opponents with a cross laser strike from afar (3-1, 49e). Before serving, on a counter, a nugget to Delort, who took the opportunity to complete his beautiful statistics (4-1, 62e) with one goal and two assists.
Well helped by his attacking trio, Galtier therefore won the tactical battle once morest Sampaoli. After releasing the Paris-SG and then the OM, the OGC Nice now dreams of a first final since its victory in 1997.
