Both sides have endured an underwhelming start to the season, but the match itself got off to an exciting start as Ross Barkley’s sweetly struck volley was saved by Alban Lafont before Kasper Schmeichel denied Samuel Moutoussamy’s effort following Ignatius Ganago’s cutback. Barkley was involved again when his corner routine set up Nicolas Pepe who couldn’t hit the target.
Pepe then let off a much better effort than his earlier one and was unlucky to see it curl onto the post. Les Aiglons were having plenty of promising moments, but Gaetan Laborde was often left frustrated after not appearing to be on the same wavelength as his teammates, as was epitomised when Pepe’s pass to the back post evaded him. At the other end, Schmeichel then atoned for his own error by saving Blas’ ambitious strike as a goalless first half wound to an energetic close.
While there had been encouraging signs for Nice at times, Jordan Lotomba’s withdrawal through injury provided a cause for concern. With Nice perhaps dwelling on this unwelcome development, they looked less of a force after the break. And things grew much worse for Les Aiglons just four minutes into the second period, when Moses Simon raced forward and teed up Ganago, who gleefully ensured that he had scored in successive games.
Lucien Favre responded with a triple change shortly after the hour mark, but La Maison Jaune looked the more likely to score again, with Moses Simon’s attempt bouncing over the crossbar. When the hosts did carve out opportunities, Laborde’s frustrations continued when Lafont produced two brilliant saves to keep him out, while Moussa Sissoko was also denied by the post at the other end – in a miss that Nantes would regret in the dying moments.
Jean-Charles Castelletto offered Nice a route back in when he handled the ball in the box, and Pépé sent Lafont the wrong way with his penalty to rescue a point, making it two consecutive draws for Nice. Meanwhile, Nantes were denied their first away win of the season in the most unbelievable of circumstances, with unused substitute Abdoul Kader Bamba also getting himself sent off in the aftermath and Lafont doing the same after the full time whistle to add extra misery to a torrid situation.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Nicolas Pepe (OGC Nice)
