OGC Nice pour cold water on PSG hopes of unbeaten season in the Ligue 1 as they beat the Parisians 3-1 yesterday.
OGC Nice have played party-poopers on PSG’s hopes of an unbeaten season in Ligue 1.
They suffered their first league loss to Nice, who defeated them 3-1 to increase their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
PSG remains at the top of the Ligue 1 standings with 78 points, having already won the championship earlier this month, while Nice rises to fourth place with 54 points.
The home team, who are heading to Arsenal for Tuesday’s first leg of the Champions League semi-final, controlled the first half hour and created numerous chances, but Morgan Sanson, who made his first start of the season, gave the visitors the lead in the 35th minute with a clinical first-time finish on a through-ball from Badredine Bouanani.
Sanson scored his second goal, volleying the ball into the net from close range, 22 seconds into the second half, ending any hopes the PSG supporters had that their team would go on to dominate. The lead lasted only six minutes, as Fabián Ruiz equalised with a sumptuous half-volley.
Youssouf Ndayishimiye headed home a free kick in the 70th minute to give the visitors a 3-1 lead after they had already scored from their only two efforts on goal.
PSG was frustrated by their own poor finishing and some outstanding goalkeeping from Marcin Bulka, despite having 75% of the ball and creating twice as many chances to score.
Bulka celebrated each save enthusiastically after making a fantastic reflex save to deny Gonçalo Ramos with the clock running past ninety minutes and seven minutes added for stoppages. He then made another top-drawer stop of Vitinha’s attempt from the edge of the box.
The Parisians kept attacking, but Nice resolutely held their ground and gave them a significant boost in their chances of making it to the Champions League the following season.