Nantes 1 - 0 Nice: Nantes shock Nice to dent their European hopes

Posted Saturday, April 30, 2016 by PA

Nice's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season took a major blow as they went down 1-0 at out-of-form Nantes.

A solitary Adrien Thomasson goal midway through the second half was enough to secure Les Canaris their first league win in six.

The hosts suffered an early blow when Yacine Bammou was forced off with a thigh strain and his replacement, Adryan, tested Yoan Cardinale soon after but his weak header from Leo Dubois' tee-up failed to trouble the Nice stopper.

Les Canaris continued to impress more than their visitors and only the woodwowk prevented Nantes from taking a first-half lead when Emiliano Sala's header came back off the post from Adryan's free-kick.

Nantes continued to dominate proceedings and, following a goalless first half, the woodwork was rattled once again soon after the restart.

Thomasson picked out Alejandro Bedoya inside the area but, despite beating Cardinale with a first-time effort, the post came to the rescue once again for Nice to deny the American an opener.

The hosts' luck appeared to be well and truly out when, on 58 minutes, Cardinale was beaten once again by Bedoya, but this time the crossbar denied Michel Der Zakarian's side a breakthrough.

However, their luck finally changed on 68 minutes when Bedoya's delivery eventually found its way to Thomasson who emphatically smashed a half-volley on the turn into the top corner for a deserved opening goal.

Nice finally responded and, when Guillaume Gillet appeared to handle Hatem Ben Arfa's free-kick it looked like they may have earned a penalty, but referee Antony Gautier had other ideas.

Jeremy Pied could have stolen an undeserved point for the visitors when Ben Arfa's superb pass freed the former Lyon man but the largely untested Remy Riou was on hand to save his side the three points.