Soumano's Brace Ignites Moustoir: Lorient Pulverises Nice in Display of Relentless Intensity

Average Futmetrix Score: 44/100. In a suffocating display of intensity, Lorient transformed Stade du Moustoir into an impenetrable fortress, dismantling Nice 3-1 in a match where defensive chaos gifted the hosts dominance from the opening whistle.

Nice's Catastrophic Start

By the 12th minute, Nice's evening had unravelled. A calamitous own goal from A. Avom set the tone for a visiting side that never recovered. Despite commanding 57% possession, the Azuréens managed just nine shots, with only two troubling Yvon Mvogo. The Lorient goalkeeper's composure underlined the gulf in balance—Nice controlled the ball but surrendered the match.

Soumano's Clinical Masterclass

If possession belonged to Nice, the pitch belonged to Soumano. His brace (45th, 53rd minutes) arrived on the back of relentless pressure. Laurent Abergel's opener (31st) had already signalled Lorient's intent—18 shots, seven on target, an avalanche of intensity that suffocated the visitors. Montassar Talbi's defensive mastery compressed space, rendering Nice toothless in transition.

Efficiency Over Possession

The scoreline conceals a crucial truth: Lorient's clinical edge (xG: 2.38 for three goals) obliterated Nice's sterile dominance (560 passes yielding zero creation). The lead changed hands once—in the 12th minute—and never wavered. For Lorient (14 points, 15th), this victory rescues a drowning season. For Nice (17 points, 10th), it compounds a dire run: four consecutive defeats. The stakes were highest for the hosts, and they delivered with surgical precision. Mvogo's two saves proved mere formality; the real story was written by Soumano's ruthless finishing and a Lorient defence that transformed chaos into fortress.