By Pierrick Moniot
Published on 04/19/2024 at 11:59 p.m., Updated yesterday at 00:05
Morgan Sanson (left) opened the scoring once morest FC Lorient from Mohamed Bamba (right) Norbert Scanella / Panoramic / Norbert Scanella / Valentina Claret / Panoramic / Valentina Claret
Nice quietly won 3-0 on home soil once morest Lorient on Friday, opening the 30th day of Ligue 1.
TOPS
Morgan Sanson set the tone
He did not deliver an XXL performance, but he knew how to be fair in everything he did this Friday, during the victory of “his” OGC Nice once morest FC Lorient (3-0). Hindered in the midfield at the very start of the game by Merlus’ good ball releases, he quickly rectified the situation with his friend Kephren Thuram. He gained momentum in the match to give the Niçois the advantage shortly before the half-hour mark. On the opening score, he showed his character to win once morest the Lorient defenders and shot Mvogo , who had performed well so far. He missed the opportunity to double the lead (41st) before half-time, but he was behind the second goal scored by Jérémie Boga (54th).
Read alsoLigue 1: Easy, Nice revives once morest Lorient
The good choices of Francesco Farioli
Nice was coming off a bad run at home. No victory since January 27 (1-0 once morest Metz), but above all two defeats once morest retention candidates, Montpellier (1-2) and Nantes (1-2). Faced with FC Lorient also stuck at the bottom of the standings, the Tuscan chose to launch a rather offensive team and it succeeded. His team suffered almost no chances, but above all mastered their subject. The wings with Ali-Cho and Boga were active, visible, but above all decisive. The first is involved in the second’s goal for the Nice break. Both might have even scored earlier. Boga crossed too much with a shot (16th), while Ali-Cho did too much following being well launched by Bard (35th). The composition was not only offensive on paper, but also on the field. The Niçois spent most of the match in the Lorient camp.
FLOPS
Mohamed Bamba, from scorer to grape picker
His exit in tears (62nd, see video below) was the symbol of his match. He completely missed his appointment. Mute since the beginning of March, Mohamed Bamba lacks confidence and the pitch does not deceive. The Ivorian U23 international striker was nevertheless well launched on the left side, from the 3rd minute, but he chose the personal solution. Result: a much too soft strike which set the tone of the Merlus match. The rest of the time, when he did not miss opportunities, he was far too aggressive on his opponents, notably on Rosario (8th) or even on Lotomba (50th). Replaced by Kroupi (62nd). The young man from Lorient was fairer, but not more decisive.
Regis Le Bris never knew how to adapt
At the microphone of Prime Video following the match, he said “that he might have changed by tightening the lines following Sanson’s goal.” But his approach was defensive enough as it was. Apart from two or three counterattacks, the Lorientais did not see the light of day offensively and spent their time remaining in their camp, without managing to annihilate the offensive enthusiasm of the Aiglons. He did not instill the desire to come back to score in his players and it showed on the pitch and his players were not up to par defensively. Fifteen days of preparation to deliver this kind of performance, it becomes difficult not to be worried regarding Merlus being relegated to Ligue 2.
