Author of yet another pitiful performance, the Gym suffered a fifth defeat in seven C3 matches this Thursday on the Elfsborg pitch.
The eagles lose their last feathers. Nice once again lost in the Europa League and was definitively eliminated from the competition after a pitiful defeat in Sweden against Elfsborg (1-0), Thursday evening during the 7th and penultimate day.
This fifth defeat in seven matches was too many for Franck Haise's team, unable to get the victory which would have allowed them to hope for a hypothetical qualification next Thursday at the Allianz Riviera, for the last day, against the Norwegians from Bodo/Glimt. “Let's do 100% what we can control“, the latter had asked his players the day before, at a press conference. But they didn't control anything, even at the end of the match when they dominated to try to come back. And Nice remains in a poor 35th place in a ranking which includes 36 teams.
With Sofiane Diop, suspended against Marseille on Sunday in L1, promoted to captain and technical leader of a very overhauled team, Nice quickly tried to outflank its opponent, on a slippery synthetic pitch, under the snow and in front of 350 Riviera supporters. Following a recovery from young Issiaga Camara, Badredine Bouanani rode full axis, before hitting above (2nd). But it was just a flash in the pan. We had to go past half an hour to witness the first, and only, shot on target of the first period.
-Few chances, new setback
Placed in the right lane in a piston role in front of a three-way defense (Mendy-Abdelmonem-Nandjou), Tom Louchet entered the axis before unleashing a low shot that the Elfsborg goalkeeper, Isak Pettersson, captured. Instead of pushing and accelerating, Nice then let their opponent take the initiative. Arber Zeleni was even dangerous following a recovery error from Camara (44th).
Worse, the Nordiques came back better from the locker room. And logically, on a corner hit by Zeleni, central defender Gustav Henriksson beat young Yaël Nandjou to open the scoring (1-0, 62nd). Haise then brought in Ali Abdi, Jonathan Clauss and Evann Guessand (67th), who finally galvanized the end of the game for the Aiglons. First, Louchet hit Pettersson's bar (71st). Beaten in the action, the Swedish international goalkeeper who passed through Toulouse was, however, perfect in front of Bouanani (85th).
In the meantime, he had also slowed down an action by Guessand, which scorer Henriksson saved on his line (75th). Nice's slim hopes had evaporated. It now remains for Dante and his partners to react against Marseille…
