Nice (AFP)

A double from a very good Kasper Dolberg offered in Nice, Sunday during the 22nd day of L1, a revenge on Lyon (2-1), which had won on the French Riviera last Thursday in the Coupe de France .

After 10 points taken from their last four L1 matches, after qualifying for the League Cup final, then another in the French Cup quarter-final, OL therefore fell.

This defeat now places the team of President Jean-Michel Aulas, 32 points, 8 units from Rennes and 3rd place in the ranking, target announced. It is a real accounting halt. It is also in the game. At the Allianz Riviera, the Lyonnais showed less control than during their previous outings in 2020.

Nice, which now has the same number of points as its opponent, can, for its part, still believe in Europe at the end of the season. The united team from the Côte d'Azur showed great collective virtues and was able to rely on a very good Kasper Dolberg, double scorer and full attacker.

However, Lyon has mastered the start of the game. With six players fresh compared to the Coupe de France meeting, already between the same two teams, last Thursday, Rudi Garcia's team quickly created opportunities.

The attempts of Maxence Caqueret (8th) and Karl Toko Ekambi (22nd) were stopped by the always very vigilant Walter Benitez.

Shaken, the people of Nice remained concentrated. Gradually, they returned to their match, and tried to play on Lyon's weak spots, behind the back of their lateral defenders.

- The Lyonnais caught speed -

This is how Marçal got caught up in speed by Hicham Boudaoui. His fault could have resulted in a penalty. It was not the case. But the Brazilian was asked to go directly to the locker room (22nd).

At 10 against 11, Lyon suffered. Cornet is passed left side. The Nice midfielder started to press higher. After a collective recovery in the feet of Caqueret, Pierre Lees-Melou saw his shot deflected, then diverted by Ciprian Tararusanu, before being taken victoriously by Dolberg (1-0, 33rd).

It then took a good last rampart from Lyon to keep the Rhodaniens in the match. Because Adam Ounas (38th), Dolberg (42nd) and Alexis Claude-Maurice (44th) never found the opening.

Worse: for Nice, the last two minutes of halftime were going to be terrible. First Houssem Aouar beautifully offered equalization to Toko Ekambi after having slalomed in the Red and Black defense (1-1, 45th).

Then, following an inappropriate move by Lyon defender Marcelo on Claude-Maurice, the tension increased. At the end of the scuffle, Ounas was excluded and left the two teams equal in score and number for the second period (45th + 2).

At the break, Patrick Vieira was able to re-mobilize his troops. From the start, Dolberg, with a very fair technique, was dangerous (46th). He was also decisive, perfectly taking a good center from Boudaoui (2-1, 63rd), for his 8th goal in L1.

Nice was then valiant. If Claude-Maurice saw his attempt hit the post (84th), it did not serve the good performance of the Aiglons.

© 2020 AFP