We had to wait for the arrival of the Eagles to witness a success for the Aiglons in the European Cup. For the first time in almost three years, OGC Nice emerged victorious in a European match. The Niçois cut many unenviable series thanks to their victory against Go Ahead Eagles during the 7th day of the first round of the Europa League, this Thursday at the Allianz Riviera (3-1).
The “Gym” remained on eight consecutive defeats in Europe, all suffered during this season. From the 3rd qualifying round to the Champions League lost to Benfica (2-0 first leg, 2-0 return) to this C3 league phase. With a ninth loss, he would have signed the worst dynamic in history for a French club, while Nice had equaled Olympique de Marseille after its defeat against Braga (1-0) last December.
It is also the end of a streak of 17 matches without a victory in the European Cup, spanning three years. If Claude Puel’s players have nothing left to play for in this Europa League, they have above all avoided the humiliation of a zero point. They reconciled themselves with the competition, which had become a chore and an ordeal more than anything else.
The confidence of Gouveia
Only the reduction of the gap by Finn Stokkers (68th) darkened the sporting picture of the beautiful evening in Nice. Before this relaxation of the right wing of the Aiglons, the latter had put on a show. Captain Charles Vanhoutte relieved his team in the 10th minute. Tiago Gouveia was full of confidence thanks to two superb achievements: first a sudden direction towards the goal followed by a clear shot (41st) and a well-felt header to conclude an action led by Mohamed-Ali Cho (59th).
Despite a few moments of panic during the first act and around fifteen players absent at kick-off, the 15th in Ligue 1 is relaunching, five days after its rout at Toulouse (5-1) in the Championship. This part was also that of the return of the Populaire Sud ultras home after the incidents which took place on November 30 at the training center. Without being disrupted, the meeting was also marked by a crowd movement of around a hundred Nice supporters coming from the Populaire Sud stand towards the Dutch parking lot, AFP reported.
The lack of success of the Azuréens contaminated Lille, defeated at the same time by Celta Vigo (2-1), after giving them the opener in the 36th second of play. All this, while the Mastiffs are not guaranteed to see the play-offs.
