The OGC Nice striker delivered his team 20 minutes from the end of the match against Monaco (2-1).
This Côte d'Azur derby had different challenges for the two teams. AS Monaco was looking to regain the leadership position before the Classic between PSG and OM, while OGC Nice wanted to recover its first victory since September 20 and its victory against Saint-Etienne (8-0). At home, Franck Haise's players fought like lions to secure a victory obtained in the last quarter of an hour of the match.
The first fifteen minutes of the match were quite dull, the only fact of the game to remember was the yellow card from Magassa (15th) after a big tackle on Evann Guessand. Three minutes earlier, Bulk had diverted the ball onto his bar after a cross from Minamino which had taken a tricky trajectory for the GYM goalkeeper. ASM thought they would break the deadlock thanks to a goal from Breel Embolo after a run by his Japanese teammate, but the latter was flagged offside after checking the VAR (22nd).
We will have to wait until the 39th minute for the Monegasques and Breel Embolo to open the score (0-1) and deceive the vigilance of Marcin Bulka. ASM controlled the match and dominated unchallenged (69% possession in the first period) but the Niçois returned to the game in added time thanks to a header from a free kick from Evann Guessand (45th + 1'). Halftime is approaching and both teams are about to return to the locker room, until Vanderson decides to redistribute the cards.
Vanderson, major player in spite of himself
After a Nice foul, Mohammed Ali-Cho was pushed in the back by Vanderson, who had already received a card earlier in the first period, which led to a scuffle between the two teams. After a return to calm, referee Jérôme Brisard decided to sanction the two players and therefore give a second card to the Brazilian ASM full-back, synonymous with expulsion (45th + 4').
It was enough for OGC Nice to start the second act with a bang and settle into the Monegasque camp for the 45 minutes that follow. However, the most dangerous actions come from AS Monaco which hits the bar through Lamine Camara (58th).
Nice on the verge of being scuttled
With 13 shots in the second half, Franck Haise's men scored several times via Guessand and Boga, which could have given ASM some hope of taking the advantage. But it took the almost divine intervention of Gaëtan Laborde to give the Aiglons the advantage (71st). Launched deep after a Monegasque corner, the former Bordeaux and Rennes scorer wins his face-to-face with Majecki by lobbing the Monegasque goalkeeper. In the last ten minutes, the GYM is close to the break thanks to Boudaoui (81st) but Majecki repels the shot.
After a calmer end to the match, OGC Nice won this Côte d'Azur derby at home for the first time since September 2020, to the delight of their supporters at the Allianz Arena. In the standings, Nice moved up to eighth place, one point from fifth place and ASM missed the opportunity to regain first place. Always nice to see Ligue 1 matches as involved as this derby, which was wild and eventful, just the way we like them.
