L’Nice team snatched a courageous draw, Saturday March 12, in Montpellier (0-0) in Ligue 1 and preserved its place on the podium. The latter seems to be moving away for Nantes, surprised by the upturn in the poorly ranked Troyes (1-0).
Nice bends, but does not break
Is it by his iron defense and his steel mind that we recognize a solid dolphin? Still, Nice was able to suffer ten once morest eleven at the Mosson stadium and leave with a small point likely to preserve its second place. It was a special match for striker Andy Delort, ex-captain of Montpellier, who was booed by his former fans, still upset by his decision to join Nice. Moreover, the Algerian international did not score, stumbling on the post at a tight angle (4e) on his best opportunity.
But the Montpellier attackers were not much more inspired, while the Hérault club played almost an hour in numerical superiority following the severe exclusion of the Nice captain Dante (35e) for hooking Elye Wahi in the box. Penalty, therefore. But Téji Savanier, Montpellier’s master player, inexplicably ruined it by attempting a too soft panenka that goalkeeper Walter Benitez had no trouble intercepting (37e)…
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Things did not move either in the second half, in the pouring rain and under a deluge of crosses sent into the Nice area. As for Valère Germain’s attempt, she also found the post (53e). This draw allows at least Montpellier (11e38 pts) to put an end to his bad series of the moment (four defeats over the last five days), and in Nice (2e50 pts), best defense of L1, to be able to see his pursuers coming, in particular Marseille (3e47 pts), opposed to Brest on Sunday evening (8:45 p.m.).
It must be said that a tantalizing shock awaits the people of Nice next weekend on the lawn of OM, for a duel with a view of the qualifying places for the Champions League. And winning in Marseille, “it would be something very strong for us to mark this end of the championship with our mark”, summarized the Nice midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin at the microphone of Amazon Prime Video.
Troyes brakes Nantes and breathes
Seven points in three games is the almost unexpected total collected in recent weeks by Troyes, who beat Nantes 1-0 on Saturday evening to give themselves some air at the bottom of the classification. After frustrating Marseille (1-1) then sinking Bordeaux (2-0), Estac followed up once morest the Canaries thanks to a goal from Canadian Iké Ugbo (43e) which gave new coach Bruno Irles his first victory at the Aube stadium.
This life-saving sequence allows the promoted club to go back to the 15e place with 28 points, up to Clermont (16e, 28 pts), who faces the barrage Lorient (18th, 24 pts) on Sunday in a direct duel for maintenance. On the other hand, it is a setback for Nantes, which remained on the euphoria of its qualification for the final of the Coupe de France or of its convincing victory once morest Paris SG (3-1). And to make matters worse, Nantes lost their defensive pillar Nicolas Pallois, out with a knee injury.
Antoine Kombouaré’s team is stagnating in seventh place (42 pts), five lengths from the podium, with the fear of seeing certain competitors for Europe widen the gap this weekend…
⏱90′: Precious victory for ESTAC in the maintenance race (1-0)! Our Trojans have been applied and are logically rewarded, with an achievement by Iké Ugbo! ��
Next meeting once morest Saint-Étienne, Friday March 18 (9 p.m., D29). #ESTACFCN (1-0) pic.twitter.com/5m9r4sQMMu
— ESTAC Troyes (@estac_officiel) March 12, 2022
