Lyon wins against Nice, removing the risk of relegation

A goal from Belgian Orel Mangala allowed Lyon to win at home against Nice (1-0), Friday February 16, in the opening match of the 22^e day of Ligue 1. OL won their third consecutive success in the championship while the Niçois were losing momentum.

The Lyon team, which has just taken eighteen points out of the last 24 possible (6 wins, 2 defeats), is moving away from the relegation zone, temporarily moving up to 11^e place in the ranking. A relief for OL who seemed to be heading towards Ligue 2 at the end of November after losing at home against Lille (2-0). This setback led to the dismissal of Fabio Grosso and the appointment as coach of Pierre Sage first as an interim then until the end of the season.

Olympique Lyonnais is six steps ahead of the play-off, Lorient (16^e), who will play in Strasbourg on Sunday.

For their part, the Aiglons (2^are) mark time and remain on a series of three games without a victory in Ligue 1 after conceding a draw against Brest (0-0) before losing against Monaco (3-2) then Lyon. The Niçois had not experienced such a series since the first three days of the championship (3 draws).

Orel Mangala, good recruit

For Olympique Lyonnais, the winter transfer window changed everything, the state of mind and the configuration of the starting eleven as well as the possibilities of replacements during the match. It was also one of the last recruits of January, Orel Mangala, on loan from Nottingham Forest, who gave OL a decisive advantage in the first period with a superb shot into the top corner after a back pass from ‘Ernest Nuamah (22^e), one of the rare satisfactions of the summer market.

But Nice can still have great regrets at leaving Lyon with nothing left. Because before Mangala’s goal, the Niçois were dangerous several times with in particular a shot from Evan Guessand hitting the post (9^e).

Goalkeeper Anthony Lopes also had to work on attempts by Mohamed-Ali Cho (6^e), Morgan Sanson (20^e), Kephren Thuram (43^e), while a penalty should undoubtedly have been whistled for an elbow from Duje Caleta-Car on Guessand without reaction from the video assistance (45^e).

The second period was completely to Nice’s advantage but OGC came up against a united Lyon defense, which knew how to preserve its small advantage as it had already done against Marseille (2-1), or Lille in the French Cup (2-1).