OGC Nice snapped a two-game winless streak after a 3-0 win over FC Lorient on Friday night at Allianz Riviera.
Nice needed a win to keep themselves in the race for a UEFA Champions League spot next season. Les Aiglons had only one win in their last seven league matches (five losses, one win, and one draw) entering the game against Lorient.
Despite their struggles, Nice found themselves back in the win column with a quality performance against Lorient. Francesco Farioli and his team had a strong start in the first 45 minutes, taking nine shots in total, one of which resulted in a goal courtesy of Morgan Sanson in the 22nd minute.
Morgan Sanson… what a strike, what a goal! 💥 pic.twitter.com/g1yuIBBv9Q
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) April 19, 2024
Nice headed into halftime with a 1-0 lead and, in the early stages of the final 45 minutes, added their second goal of the contest thanks to Jérémie Boga in the 53rd minute.
The attack didn't slow down for Nice as they registered ten total shots in the second half, looking for another insurance goal, which eventually came. Evann Guessand entered the contest as a substitute and scored in the 89th minute to seal the win.
Lorient goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo did his best to keep his team in the contest, making seven saves, but the goals never came for Les Merlus. During the 90 minutes, Lorient recorded nine total shots and none of them found the back of the net as Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bułka made four saves.
✅ Le Gym renoue avec le succès à la maison (3-0) 💪#OGCNice #OGCNFCL pic.twitter.com/pawRwcJ1oT
— OGC Nice (@ogcnice) April 19, 2024
The lack of goals against Nice also hurts Lorient in the standings. FC Metz, with their better goal differential, are now moving into the playoff relegation spot. Metz can climb out of the relegation playoff spot, too, with a win over Le Havre this weekend.
Lorient will need to watch the scoreboard this weekend to see if they get favorable results, and the team must have a bounce-back performance on April 24th against Paris Saint-Germain.
With five games left in their Ligue 1 season, Nice are currently five points behind AS Monaco for a Champions League spot next season and they'll face Olympique de Marseille on April 24th to inch closer.
