Nice edge Reims to climb into top three

OGC Nice claimed a narrow but crucial 1-0 victory over Stade de Reims on Friday night to move provisionally into third place in Ligue 1, boosting their Champions League hopes. A first-half goal from Morgan Sanson was enough to separate the sides, but Francesco Farioli’s men were made to suffer during a tense and disjointed second half.

Sanson Strikes Again

The only goal of the game came in the 15th minute. A long ball from Melvin Bard into the Reims box caused confusion between defender Okumu and goalkeeper Diouf. Their miscommunication allowed Morgan Sanson to pounce and slot into an empty net – his third goal in as many games and a rare highlight in an otherwise lacklustre attacking display from the hosts.

Nice controlled much of the first half, with Reims struggling to make inroads and recording just one touch inside the opposition box by the 32nd minute. The Gym were composed without being threatening, and a quiet Allianz Riviera saw out a rather uneventful first 45 minutes.

Reims Fight Back After the Break

Will Still’s Reims came out with more intent in the second half, and began to stretch a Nice side that clearly dropped off physically and tactically. The visitors created multiple clear-cut chances: Junya Ito forced a good stop from Marcin Bulka, while Oumar Diakhon and Mohamed Daramy – both second-half substitutes – added much-needed dynamism.

The best opportunity fell to Ibrahim Diakité in the dying seconds of added time, but his close-range effort was blocked by a teammate after Diakhon’s initial strike was deflected. Nice, visibly clinging on, were relieved to hear the final whistle after eight minutes of stoppage time.

A Costly Missed Opportunity for Reims

While Nice climb into third place – at least temporarily – and take a significant step toward European qualification, Reims missed a golden opportunity to mathematically secure their Ligue 1 survival. Still in 13th place with three matches remaining, they remain five points clear of the relegation play-off spot.

The evening marked a first Ligue 1 start for 18-year-old midfielder Ange Tia, who impressed in flashes before being forced off early in the second half with what appeared to be cramp. It was an encouraging outing for the Malian youngster despite the result.

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