Nîmes came back from two goals down to win 4-2 at Nantes on an emotional afternoon at Stade de la Beaujoire.
FC Nantes 2-4 Nîmes Olympique
THE MATCH
All of Nantes wanted to be at La Beaujoire on Sunday to pay tribute to Emiliano Sala, whose body was recovered from the English Channel this week. To mark the tragedy Nantes' players sported an all black kit and all the players had Sala written above their number.
The Argentinian's former team-mates wanted to win for Sala. On 15 minutes Les Canaris took the lead when home captain Valentin Rongier was able to cross for Kalifa Couilbaly to head home his third goal of the week. The giant Malian international had also netted in Coupe de France victories that have carried Nantes into the last eight.
On 38 minutes Hervé Lybohy got himself in trouble and fouled Coulibaly. Waris took it and the Ghanaian international scored for the second consecutive league game to make it 2-0 to Vahid Halilhodzic's side. Two minutes into the second half Nmes pulled a goal back. Téji Savanier crossed and Baptiste Guillaume scored his second of the season from close range.
20 minutes from time Nmes struck a fine equaliser. Guillaume pulled it back for Antonin Bobichon who netted with an improbable finish for his third goal of the season. Nmes were now targeting a first league win in five matches.
Clément Turpin had a busy day with VAR. He'd already decided a Nicolas Pallois handball was actually outside the box at one end and then overturned his decision to give a penalty for an alleged Loïck Landre handball. It had hit the defender's chest.
In the 85th minute Andrei Girotto lost the ball and Nimes moved in front for the first time. Jordan Ferri crashed a shot against the post and then followed up with a controlled left-footed finish.
Nîmes put the seal on it in the 89th minute with a quick counter. Substitute Sada Thioub picked the ball up 30 metres from his own goal and accelerated the length of the pitch before picking out the bottom corner for his first goal since Week 2.
THE PLAYER: Kalifa Coulibaly
Coulibaly's first Ligue 1 Conforama goal since Week 6 couldn't stop Nantes falling to defeat but confirmed the 1m97 forward's fine current form. Putting himself about to good effect, Couilably also won a penalty, following up on eye-catching Coupe de France displays and setting up Waris' equaliser against Saint-Etienne ten days ago.
THE STAT: 5
Nantes have failed to win any of their last five Ligue 1 Conforama games (1D, 4L), the longest run in the division.