PLAYER RATINGS | Nice 0-2 Lyon: OL shatter <i>Le Gym’s </i>home record as Paulo Fonseca serves first game of ban | OneFootball

Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Round 25, 09/03/25

OGC Nice lost for the first time at the Allianz Riviera in Ligue 1 this season with Olympique Lyonnais getting the better of Franck Haise’s side (0-2) as Paulo Fonseca joined his counterpart in the stands to serve the first game of his nine-month ban.

The Match

Amid torrential conditions, Lyon struggled to get a foothold in the first half. Nice’s press was well organised and allowed them to control proceedings. Mohamed-Ali Cho forced a good save out of Lucas Perri, as did Evann Guessand. The best chance of the half, however, fell to Gaëtan Laborde, who saw his free header from just five yards out deflected onto the post by Moussa Niakhaté.

Nice continued to have the upper hand in the opening exchanges of the second half. Laborde wasted a five-on-three chance with a sloppy and lethargic pass. Lyon then began to grow into the match around the hour mark and Corentin Tolisso went close with a free header at the back post.

Unlike in the first half, OL managed to sustain pressure, albeit without carving open Le Gym’s defence. That changed, however, with a double substitution. Georges Mikautadze and Rayan Cherki came on and it was the latter, with his first touch off the bench, who got the opener.

It was Moïse Bombito with the error, Tolisso with the simple tackle, Thiago Almada with the pass through to Cherki, who applied the simple finish. Just minutes later, the lead was doubled. It was another turnover that led to the goal, it was once again Almada who provided the pass but this time it was Ernest Nuamah who applied the finish. He had plenty to do from 25 yards out but he picked out the top corner brilliantly to kill the game and end Nice’s unbeaten home record in Ligue 1 this season.

Nice player ratings

Marcin Bulka – 5

Dante – 5

Moïse Bombito – 4

Youssouf Ndayishimiye – 5

Melvin Bard – 5

Baptiste Santamaria – 4

Hicham Boudaoui – 6

Jonathan Clauss – 5

Mohamed-Ali Cho – 5

Dominated his opposite number, Kumbedi, in the first half, beating him on several occasions, however, he lacked the final pass on the night.

Gaëtan Laborde – 3

Laborde has been in good form in 2025, notably through his strong link-up play, however, he was never at his best in this game, proving wasteful in build-up, squandering a five-on-three chance, and missing Nice’s biggest chance of the game.

Evann Guessand – 5

Lyon player ratings

Lucas Perri – 6

Nicolás Tagliafico – 4

Moussa Niakhaté – 7

Clinton Mata – 6

Saël Kumbedi – 3

Cho had the better of him all half and, having received a yellow card in just the fourth minute, he was logically replaced at the break by Ainsley Maitland-Niles (5).

Tanner Tessmann – 5

Nemanja Matić – 6

Malick Fofana – 4

Corentin Tolisso – 6

Thiago Almada – 7

He justified his selection ahead of Chreki ultimately, setting up Cherki for the first and then Nuamah for the second. He was muted in the first half, like his teammates, however, he grew into the game as it progressed and made the difference in the latter stages of the encounter.

Alexandre Lacazette – 4

GFFN | Luke Entwistle – reporting from Nice