OGC Nice just snapped an almost 11-month home winless streak in Ligue 1, grabbing their first victory of the season with a wild 2-1 upset over Lille OSC. This wasn’t just any win; it was Nice’s first league victory at the Allianz Riviera since October 29, 2025. For Davide Ancelotti, Lille’s manager, this stinging defeat marks his first league loss at the helm of LOSC, ending their unbeaten run.
The Underdogs Bite Back Against The League Leaders
The setup for this Matchday 5 clash was incredible. Nice, rooted to the bottom of the table, was battling to avoid going a full calendar year without a home win. Meanwhile, Lille rolled into town sitting pretty at the top of the league, completely unbeaten. You’d think the script was written for a Lille romp, right? Wrong. Nice came out firing! Djibril Coulibaly nearly cracked the scoreboard early, hitting the side netting. Elye Wahi then found himself one-on-one with Lille keeper Berke Ozer twice, but struck straight at him, with offside flags going up. Despite Basar Onal forcing a save from Nice’s Yehvann Diouf, Nice was clearly the more dangerous side. Their persistence paid off when Mohamed Amoura, played perfectly down the LOSC defense by Niels Nkounkou, tried to find Wahi. The ball took a wicked deflection off Nathan Ngoy, past Ozer from a tight angle, and into the net. It was 1-0, and the Allianz Riviera was buzzing, a stark contrast to their season form.
Amoura’s Double and Lille’s Late Push
Nice kept pushing the tempo. Axel Witsel blasted over from a cutback, but the danger was clear. Amoura kept exploiting space behind Tiago Santos, once finding Wahi, who just clipped the outside of the box. Hein, despite a varied output, played Wahi through again, who tried a chip over Ozer, only for the keeper to make the save. Hein wasn’t done, though. Just seconds later, he found Amoura again, and this time, Amoura made no mistake. He rounded Ozer with precision, doubling Nice’s advantage. What a moment for the Algerian, though he was forced off with an injury or cramp soon after. Lille finally started building some momentum. Ayase Ueda tested Diouf from close range, and Ethan Mbappé forced Diouf to tip over a dangerous free-kick. Even after Olivier Giroud was brought on, Ueda stayed on the pitch, a choice that paid off. Ueda found himself drifting behind the Nice defense and slid the ball past Diouf, cutting Nice’s lead to one. He almost found a second, but Diouf pulled off a brilliant save.
This 2-1 triumph for OGC Nice isn’t just a win, it’s a massive statement. Olivier Pantaloni has his first win as Nice manager, and his team is finally off the foot of Ligue 1. For Lille, it’s a gut punch, losing their unbeaten record and giving Davide Ancelotti his first league defeat. What a turnaround for Nice, and it absolutely shakes up the early season picture for both clubs. The next few weeks will tell us if Nice can build on this momentum, or if Lille can regroup and reclaim their dominance.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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