OGC Nice 3-2 Sheffield United: Selles’ Blades Go Toe-to-Toe With Champions League Team | OneFootball

Sheffield United gave a good account of themselves against genuine European football level opponents in a behind-closed-doors pre-season defeat against OGC Nice.

Tyrese Campbell was on hand to draw first blood after a superb inswinging corner from Hamer evaded everyone before landing at the chest of Campbell at the back post. Minutes later, Morgan Sanson expertly deflected a shot from his teammate beyond Cooper to make it 1-1.

Nice’s quality showed in the second half having notched a second after a quality finish from Terem Moffi into the bottom left corner. The Blades struck back with an outstanding piece of skill and composure from Ehije Success Ukaki. But, a rare error from Harrison Burrows saw him fire a pass, intended for Cooper, straight into his own net.

Lineups

OGC Nice: Diouf, Mendy, Bah, Dante (Oppong 88), Clauss, Sanson (Louchet 70), Boudaoui, Bouanani (Bernardeau 85), Bard, Moffi (Boga 70), Guessand (Jansson 70).

Blades: Cooper, Hamer, O’Hare, Brooks (Ukaki 70), Burrows, Campbell (Cannon 70), One (Barry 70), Norrington-Davies (McCallum 70), Sasnauskas, Seriki, Peck.

Unused: Grbic, A Davies, Moore, Caceres, Curtis, Hampson.

First Half

The Blades started brightly and created two early chances through Tyrese Campbell, but the striker couldn’t convert either opportunity.

United’s high pressing caused problems for the hosts, leading to two more good openings: Oné’s powerful shot was blocked and Harrison Burrows fired into the side netting after another turnover high up the pitch.

The away side eventually found the opener when Gustavo Hamer whipped an inswinging corner into the heart of the 6-yard box; it was missed by everyone before falling to Tyrese Campbell who couldn’t miss from a yard out.

Just a few minutes later, OGC Nice equalised. Hicham Boudaoui began a slick team move that ultimately ended with him firing a low shot towards Cooper, but an instinctive deflected finish by Morgan Sanson saw the ball find the far corner.

Second Half

The second half began with Yehvann Diouf tipping over a dangerous Gustavo Hamer free-kick which was destined for the top right corner, but it was Nice who doubled their tally for the day on 68 minutes. After a patient spell of possession, Terem Moffi produced a clinical finish with his left foot, showing his quality with three quick touches before finding the bottom left corner.

United hit back just five minutes later. Substitutes made an instant impact as Tom Cannon slipped a clever pass through to right-winger Ehije Success Ukaki, who checked back with a great piece of skill and finished neatly in off the near post to level the scores at 2–2.

Both sides had further chances: Sanson, Isak Jansson, and Jeremie Boga all went close for Nice, while Cannon struck the post for the Blades. But the decisive moment came with 11 minutes remaining. Trying to play out from the back, United were undone when Burrows’ back-pass evaded goalkeeper Michael Cooper and trickled in off the post to hand the hosts the win.

Sheffield United will now head back to England to face an unnamed Premier League team this weekend behind-closed-doors before kicking their season off against Bristol City next Saturday.