Nice plays the Sheriff

Goal: Amraoui (45^e+3)

While PSG supporters woke up with a crushing hangover, Nice had a mission this Thursday evening: to save the tricolor honor on the European scene. The Niçois, still undefeated since the arrival of Didier Digard as coach, have given French football a smile by taking a good option for qualification. They barely beat the Tiraspol Moldovans in Chisinau (0-1) in the round of 16 first leg of the Europa League Conference.

AmraYEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!

Just before the break 👌#OGCNice #UECL #FCSOGCN | @ogcnice pic.twitter.com/trhQ5i6ODQ

– CANAL+ Foot (@CanalplusFoot) March 9, 2023

In a well-stocked Zimbru Stadium, in particular by 80 die-hards from Nice despite the specter of war in Ukraine, the Aiglons took time to make their mark in this meeting. Not helped by a lawn in a catastrophic statethe 22 actors had still not succeeded in constructing the slightest dangerous action after 40 minutes of play. is miraculously well finished (42^e). A game fact that offered a perfectly placed free kick to the Sheriff. This first real opportunity, which Mouhamed Diop took care of, gave birth to a solid save from Kasper Schmeichel, imperial (44^e). In the process, Nice scored at the best of times on its first opportunity. Served on the left side by Khéphren Thuram, Ayoub Amraoui tried to cross, but the leather took a vicious trajectory, ending its race in the back of the net of poor Maksym Koval, helpless (0-1, 45^e+3). This superb involuntary achievement of the young Azurean, for his first European match, allowed Nice to return to the locker room with less weight.

The lightning before the shivers

Faced with a Moldovan team in the recovery phase (4 games played only for 3 months), the Aiglons took control of the match at the start of the second half. Placed outside the area, Gaëtan Laborde worried the opposing goalkeeper with a low right-footed shot (48^e). Far from being resigned, the Moldovans were very close to cooling the Niçois shortly before the hour mark. Following a disagreement between Jean-Clair Todibo and Dante, Tapsoba released his best volley, just next (58^e). Gradually, Tiraspol proved to be more and more dangerous and could even have equalized if Armel Zohouri’s daring attempt on the right side had not come crashing down on Schmeichel’s bar (72^e). On a corner from the incoming Billal Brahimi, Dante was very close to killing the match, but his helmet shot hit the left post (81^e). On a long ball, finally, the untenable Tapsoba managed to recover the leather and deceive Schmeichel. A realization however refused for an offside position earlier in the action. Nice therefore leaves Chisinau having taken a good option for qualification in the quarter-finals of the Europa League Conference. The ticket will be validated next Thursday at the Allianz Riviera.

Sheriff (5-3-2) : Koval – Armel, Garananga, Kiki, Radeljić, Kpozo – Diop, Kyabou, Badolo (Talal, 69^e) – Tapsoba, Atiemwen (Rasheed, 55^e). Coach : Roberto Bordin.

Nice (5-3-2) : Schmeichel – Lotomba (Atal, 78^e) Youssouf, Todibo, Dante, Amraoui – Bodaoui, Thuram (Bouanani, 78^e) – Laborde (Brahimi, 78^e), Moffi. Coach : Didier Digard.

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