Elye Wahi rescued a point for OGC Nice with a clever finish from a tight angle, yet the home side remain winless after being held to a 1-1 draw by Le Mans FC in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
The result at the Allianz Riviera leaves Olivier Pantaloni still searching for his first victory since taking charge this summer. For Le Mans, the point extends an impressive start to life back in the top flight under manager Patrick Videira.
How the match unfolded
Le Mans took the lead midway through the first half. Adil Bourabaa seized on a loose ball following a turnover deep in the Nice half and fired a powerful strike into the far corner, punishing defensive hesitation.
Nice dominated possession after falling behind but struggled to create clear openings. Their best early opportunity came from a quickly-taken set-piece that found Axel Witsel unmarked inside the penalty area, though the veteran could not direct his header on target.
The equaliser arrived before the break, gift-wrapped by a goalkeeping error. Le Mans’ second-choice goalkeeper Ewen Hatfout rushed from his line when he might have held his position, allowing Wahi to round him and slot home from an acute angle.
Le Mans threaten late winner
With the scores level after the interval, the promoted side looked the more likely winners. Dame Gueye headed narrowly wide from a Rayan Bamba cross, while joint-top scorer Louis Mafouta forced Yehvann Diouf into a sharp reflex save from a long throw-in.
Habib Diallo then came agonisingly close to turning in a teasing cross from just yards out. Pantaloni introduced substitutes Mohammed Amoura and Gauthier Hein to change the game, and the pair looked more dangerous than those they replaced. Amoura fired over from a promising position, while Jonathan Clauss worked Hatfout into a smart stop.
Yet the clearest chance of the closing stages still fell to Mafouta. The striker intercepted a ball that slipped past a defender, rounded Diouf, but slipped at the crucial moment and struck only the outside of the post.
What the result means
The stalemate leaves Nice with just two points from their opening three matches, a worrying return for a side that had hoped Pantaloni’s summer arrival would bring fresh momentum. The manager is also working under an ownership structure that has not changed since last season.
Le Mans, by contrast, continue to defy expectations. Having only won promotion from the third tier a year earlier, Videira’s side were not expected to earn a top-flight place so quickly. Their solid start suggests they have adapted swiftly to the demands of Ligue 1.
Nice must now find a first win before concern grows among supporters, while Le Mans will feel disappointed not to have taken all three points from a game they largely controlled after the break.