Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Matchday 20, 01/02/26

OGC Nice came from two goals behind to salvage a draw at home against Stade Brestois (2-2), as Claude Puel’s side edged every so slightly clearer of the relegation zone.

The Match 

There were only two clear chances in the first half, both fell to Brest and both were taken. The first came from the spot after Dante was adjudged to have handled when Ludovic Ajorque blasted straight at the Brazilian’s arm. Despite the captain’s protests, the decision was maintained and Romain Del Castillo stepped up and blasted into the bottom corner.

Eight minutes later and Eric Roy’s side doubled their advantage. It was a scruffy goal with Kenny Lala’s ball across the box fortuitously deflecting off two players on its way to Kamory Doumbia, who timed his run into the box perfectly to finish first-time.

Nice had much of the ball, over 65% possession, but they couldn’t carve out any clear chances. Charles Vanhoutte went closest before the break, with Grégoire Coudert getting down low to deny the Belgium international. 

Despite it being Le Gym who had to chase the game, it was Brest who began the second half on the front foot. There was a verve and a purpose in everything that they did going forward, and half-chances for Daouda Guindo and Joris Chotard went begging.

The storyline from the first half was then inverted. It was Brest who looked the most dangerous and did the most probing, but it was Nice who got the goals. First, it was Ali Abdi, getting around his man at the near post to flick a header past Coudert, and then it was Elye Wahi, who ran onto a flick-on from Kevin Carlos and then applied the finish one-on-one.

Thereafter, it was the hosts who dominated, but who failed to exploit the promising situations that they worked for themselves. Coudert was not worked enough, even if he was forced into a good save from a drilled Tom Louchet effort in the 87th minute. 

OGC Nice player ratings

Maxime Dupé – 4

Ali Abdi – 6

Dante – 4

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but Dante has lost a yard. The Brazilian has hardly played this season due to knee injuries, and he is lacking in pace, fitness and rhythm. This is his final season in professional football and it is only now that his years are beginning to show.

Kojo Peprah Oppong – 5

Jonathan Clauss – 5

Morgan Sanson – 4

Charles Vanhoutte – 5

Salis Abdul Samed – 3

Replaced by Kail Boudache (6) at the break. The academy product brought a much-needed tempo shift. Nice had plenty of possession in the first half but did little with it and were guilty of being too ponderous and slow in the ball. There are certainly imperfections in Boudache’s game – naturally, given his age – and his decision-making let him down on occasions, but it was his rhythm and acceleration of the game in key moments that helped instigate Le Gym’s fightback. He is a throwback to a player that has not long since departed Les Aiglons, Badredine Bouanani. The Algerian failed to really kick on at the Allianz Riviera, but as far as Boudache is concerned, there is plenty of potential and room for growth.

Sofiane Diop – 4

Elye Wahi – 6

Mohamed-Ali Cho – 5

Selected Brest player ratings

Daouda Guindo – 6

Romain Del Castillo – 7

He netted the penalty for Brest and, whilst his side had little of the ball, everything went through him. He drove his team up the pitch and was particularly influential in Brest’s 10-minute spell at the start of the second half, during which they could have extended their lead to three and ended the game as a contest.

Ludovic Ajorque – 6