Boga's Clinical Finish Ends Nice's Home Drought

Skip It Futmetrix Score: 17/100. At Allianz Riviera, Nice finally converted their intensity into three crucial points, with Jérémie Boga's second-half strike settling a match that demanded defensive resolve as much as attacking prowess.

The 56th-Minute Turning Point: Vanhoutte's Precision, Boga's Ruthlessness

For 55 minutes, Nice controlled proceedings with 59% possession but lacked the killer instinct. Then came the moment that mattered. Jérémie Boga received a perfectly weighted pass from Charles Vanhoutte and finished with clinical precision. Vanhoutte's assist capped a masterclass in creation—three key passes, one assist, a rating of 7.9—orchestrating Nice's breakthrough at precisely the moment when balance was shifting. The Aiglons had peppered 19 shots at goal; this one found the net when it mattered.

Dante's Fortress: Defense Holds When Attack Falters

Dante delivered a commanding display in central defence, his positioning and composure the bedrock of Nice's rearguard. With 10 saves combined between the keepers and 11 corners creating constant pressure, this was a match decided by margins. Nantes—already in crisis with just one point from four games—never found the penetration to trouble Nice's resolve. The visitors' xG of 0.75 versus Nice's 1.75 tells the true story: the home side's superiority was real, but Nantes' desperation never quite materialized into genuine threat.

Nice Breathes; Nantes Sinks Deeper

This victory offers Nice respite from their maddening alternating pattern (win-loss-win-loss). They climb to 6 points, their xG dominance finally translated to silverware. Nantes, meanwhile, remains marooned at 14th with a -2 goal difference and a coaching staff facing existential questions. The stakes were survival-level for the visitors; they leave empty-handed and drowning.