PLAYER RATINGS | OGC Nice 2-2 Twente: 10-man Nice salvage late draw but first Europa League win remains elusive | OneFootball

UEFA Europa League, Round 4, 07/11/24

10-man OGC Nice came from behind to salvage a draw late-on against FC Twente in the UEFA Europa League, although Le Gym remain winless in this year’s edition of the competition.

The Match

It wasn’t exactly a sell out at the Allianz Riviera – far from it. There was a weariness in the half-empty Allianz Riviera stands that was reflected on the pitch, at least for much of the encounter. A lapse of concentration from Moise Bombito, allowing Youri Regeer to steal in between himself and Marcin Bulka was symptomatic of the collective energy – or lack thereof – from Nice.

Bulka kept the scores level on that occasion but he failed to do so minutes later when Daan Rots slotted his half-volley into the far corner. There wasn’t a reaction of note from Le Gym who remained lethargic. Rots almost doubled his account but Bulka tipped over. Sofiane Diop had Nice’s only clear-cut chance as he latched onto Tanguy Ndombélé’s ball and hit on thw swivel. At full-stretch, Przemyslaw Tyton got a boot to the ball to divert the goal-bound effort.

Despite the introductions of Mohamed-Ali Cho and Jonathan Clauss at the break, there wasn’t a change of fortune early in the second-half. Michel Vlap hit the outside of the post with a long-range effort before Sam Lammers doubled Twente’s lead with a powerfully-hit effort.

Haise’s substitutions change the game

Franck Haise had three changes to make to change the direction of the match. He made all of them at once, and one of them, Jérémie Boga, made an instant impact, curling into the far corner with his first touch. But any momentum was halted by referee Balázas Berke, who hastily and harshly sent off Diop for a challenge on the top of Regeer’s boot.

It was Regeer’s mis-hit cross that almost settled the game. It beat Bulka but not the bar as Nice retained a slim hope of getting back into the tie. Clauss almost levelled the tie with his free-kick from the edge of the box and the France international then popped up again miutes later, finding Cho at the back-post, who only had to stroke home into the net.

Lacking in intensity and quality for large periods, the game burst into life after the equaliser. Evann Guessand had a half chance and after Bart Van Rooij’s red card in the 90th minute, Nice pushed for a winner. Bu they couldn’t find it. Les Aiglons remain winless but halt their losing run in the Europa League at two games.

Nice player ratings

Marcin Bulka – 5

Dante – 3

Youssouf Ndayishimiye – 3

Moïse Bombito  – 5

Melvin Bard – 3

Tanguy Ndombélé – 4

Issiaga Camara – 4

A livewire on his first start for his formative club, he was replaced at the break having received a yellow card. Jonathan Clauss (6) took his place. This game was crying out for a touch of quality and he provided it when he found Cho at the back post.

Tom Louchet – 4

Sofiane Diop – 5

The only bright-spark in the first half for Nice, his night was brought to a premature end by the referee, who was harsh to brandish a red card for his challenge on Regeer.

Gaëtan Laborde – 3

Youssoufa Moukoko – 3

Under-whelming, out-of-sync, and wasteful, Moukoko was an embodiment of Nice’s wider malaise in the first-half. He was replaced by Mohamed-Ali Cho (6) at the break. Quieter than usual, he nonetheless popped up when it mattered to net the equaliser.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle