Strasbourg sneak closer to Ligue 1 safety with 2-0 win over toothless Nice
Strasbourg showcased great authority from the outset, cruising to take the lead within a minute of kick-off via Habib Diallo, who exquisitely controlled an overhead pass by Ibrahima Sissoko and buried a low drive past Kasper Schmeichel.
Stunned, Nice could hardly believe the early dominance they were subject to, but knew they could ill afford to slip up, given the risk of finishing in the bottom half of the Ligue 1 table.
However, Frederic Antonetti’s men presumably had higher stakes on the line - potentially slipping into the four-team relegation mix without a point or more here.
And despite Nice imprinting their mark on the game as the minutes wore on, Strasbourg diligently took their lead into the break, with all but two of the 11 previous league meetings between the sides featuring a 1-0 scoreline at half-time either way.
What had begun as a positive second-half for Nice, quickly turned sour on the hour mark, after Jordan Lotomba’s challenge on Jean-Ricner Bellegarde forced referee Jeremy Stinat to point to the penalty spot.
Diallo was called into action once again, and he made no mistake, thumping a low finish into the left corner despite Schmeichel correctly guessing the direction of his shot.
Digard then executed four quickfire substitutions in a desperate attempt to salvage at least a draw and avoid just a second defeat in his nine-match league tenure for the club so far.
Yet, Nice’s efforts proved fruitless in the face of a resurgent home unit that march onto a fourth win in five league outings.
Moreover, a fifth straight unbeaten meeting means Antonetti’s outfit strengthened their hopes of Ligue 1 safety, whereas Nice witnessed their European dream take yet another hit as they get back to losing ways following a two-match winning streak.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Habib Diallo (Strasbourg)
