Nice vs. Valenciennes

Bolstered by last weekend’s fighting performance in Lille, les Aiglons started this encounter positively, creating a number of opportunities in the embryonic stages of the game. Emerse Fae was the first to truly threaten the visiting goal, but Guy Ndy Assembe won that particular battle with a good one-on-one stop. Around ten minutes later, David Hellebuyck’s free kick would fizz right along the goal line with no takers on hand.

But sandwiching these two efforts was arguably the best chance of the early stages, and it fell to the guests. Gregory Pujol and David Ducourtioux combined well to release the latter, who was superbly denied by young Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina.

Despite losing Johan Audel due to an injury sustained when he was booked for simulation in the box, VA would edge ahead in the first half. A spot kick was theirs when Mickael Pote handled in the box, and substitute Mamadou Samassa fired home.

Nice were dealt a second blow soon after the break. The home defence were caught flat-footed when Pujol broke down the right, and his centre was steered home by Cesar Sanchez to push the visitors further ahead against the run of play.

The second half was not proving a gripping watch until its midway stage, when Chaouki Ben Saada reduced the arrears of the home team from an Eric Mouloungui centre.

Suddenly the balance of the game had tilted, and when Renaud Cohade was dismissed for a second booking on 71 minutes there was a real sense that Nice could find a leveller. And they did just that seconds later, Ben Saada picking out the unerring head of Olivier Echouafni from the resultant free kick, leaving VA stunned.

Four minutes later the turnaround was complete when Samassa put through his own net, getting the decisive touch to a wicked free kick to put the home side ahead.

From their position of advantage, Nice never looked back, and cruised home.