Nice stopped their run of five successive defeats but could only make a stumbling start to new coach Adrien Ursea's tenure as they were held to a goalless draw at Reims on Sunday, while Hatem ben Arfa was Bordeaux's matchwinner at home to Brest.
THE MATCH
Ursea, who had returned to Nice as part of Patrick Vieira's backroom staff in November 2019, stepped up to take charge following the UEFA Europa League defeat to Leverkusen on Thursday that cost Vieira his job.
Against a Reims side that had equalled the club's worst-ever start to a top-flight campaign, the visitors must have been hopeful of claiming all three points, but confidence was clearly in short supply and Boulaye Dia might have given the hosts an early lead (8') but shot into the side-netting.
Nice would have been in front shortly afterwards but Yunes Abdelhamid brilliantly blocked Jeff Reine-Adélaïde's shot after the former Arsenal man had eased round Reims goalkeeper Predrag Rajovkic (10').
Nice goalkeeper Walter Benitez was the busier of the glovesmen on show. He stopped Mathieu Cafaro's shot at full length (35'), and then the Argentine, who has been one of his club's rare consistent performers, tipped over Arber Zeneli's fizzer (52').
Rajkovic was tested by Rony Lopes (54') before Amine Gouiri, another solid Nice performer since his summer arrival from Olympique Lyonnais, twice tested the Reims goalkeeper without finding a way past him (54, 78').
Instead, it was Reims who came closest to providing a winner: Valon Berisha skimming a free-kick just past Benitez's right-hand post with only three minutes left as Ursea narrowly avoided defeat in his first game in charge.
THE PLAYER: Walter Benitez
The Nice goalkeeper was again his side's stand-out performer, frustrating Reims just when they looked likely to capitalise on their domination of the game.
THE STAT: 10
Reims have won just one of the last 10 Ligue 1 Uber Eats games against Nice, drawing five.
Elsewhere, Bordeaux had Hatem ben Arfa to thank for their win over Brest. The in-form former France international struck five minutes from time to ease Jean-Louis Gasset's men away from danger. Strasbourg caught fire at Nantes where they claimed a 4-0 win. Dimitri Lienard scored one from the spot and set up another, Habib Diallo netted his fourth for his new club, Ludovic Ajorque netted a penalty before Kevin Zohi completed the rout which leaves Nantes winless in three.
Angers picked up a second successive win as goals from Angelo Fulgini and Pierrick Capelle saw them past FC Lorient, while Dijon and Saint-Etienne played out a goalless draw that leaves both teams in trouble.
