Nice 2 - 1 Lens : Nice stay up after win over Lens

Nice confirmed their Ligue 1 status, but they did it the hard way, coming from behind to beat bottom club Lens at the Allianz Riviera.

A run of two wins in their previous 14 matches meant Nice still had a slim chance of being dragged into the relegation zone over the course of the final two games.

They got off to the worst possible start when they went behind to Yoann Touzghar's goal, but Jordan Amavi equalised before Didier Digard snatched a 2-1 win for Claude Puel's side with 13 minutes left.

Puel and his squad were targeted by angry supporters with smoke bombs earlier this week and the home fans were given more reason to be unhappy when their team conceded in the 14th minute.

Adamo Coulibaly floated the ball into the box from the left flank and the unmarked Touzghar slotted the ball past Mouez Hassan with a right-foot volley.

Amavi went close to equalising with a header, but he did not miss a second attempt on the half hour.

Carlos Eduardo and Mathieu Bodmer both struck the bar in a mad scramble that followed Alexy Bosetti's free-kick before the ball fell to Amavi's feet and he made no mistake from close range.

Coulibaly's header brushed the post as Lens threatened to retake the lead in the second half, but the bottom club, some 13 points away from safety, came under a sustained spell of pressure from the hosts and they eventually crumbled.

Lens goalkeeper Valentin Belon blocked Alassane Plea on two separate occasions as Nice ramped up the pressure and they got their reward 13 minutes from time.

Digard used his strength to muscle free from his marker and nod in Plea's corner from less than a yard to seal the win that assured Nice of their top-flight status with one match to spare.