Football: Nîmes, Nancy, each to their own cross…

L’égalisation du gaucher Vincent Marcel (71e minute), du droit, pour son premier but nîmois, n’aura fait que retarder l’échéance. Midi Libre – MiKAEL ANISSET

Nîmes, qui joue le maintien, a été puni par Nancy, qui joue la montée, vendredi 10 janvier pour le compte de la 16e journée de National (1-2). Tout est dit.

The Lorraine cross is a symbol of resistance and hope. In this championship, Nîmes and Nancy do not resist in the same way and do not hope for the same thing. ASNL, leader on the way to promotion, wears it proudly. For NO, a small point ahead of the relegation zone, the fight for survival is rather a way of the cross at the moment, two draws and three defeats, a series in progress.

Akkal, unfortunate hero

However, the Crocos had their chance during a pleasant first period, with possibilities on both sides. Pleasant, except for Akkal, unfortunate hero in two minutes flat. 31st: launched by Marcel, he was alone in front of Sourzac. The former midfielder of Puy had several options. He crossed, but the ex-croco goalkeeper (2017-2019) relaxed. 33rd: he did not attack the ball, intercepted by Expérience. At the end of the transition, Nancy's best goal scorer, Touré, scored his 6th goal (0-1, 33rd).

Tough for Nîmes, who played the game against the leader. But who was therefore exposed to counterattacks, like Bouabdeli's attempt diverted by Simon (10th) and this one-on-one lost by Sidibé in front of the Gard goalkeeper (15th). NO did not give up and Marcel was very close to equalizing just before the break, but Sourzac intervened again (45th + 2).

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The technical sheet

Nîmes 1 – Nancy 2
Stade des Antonins. Cold weather, good pitch.
Half-time: 0-1.
Referee: Maxime Jamet.
Spectators: 1,250.
Goal for Nîmes : Marcel (71st).
Goals for Nancy : Touré (33rd), Dabasse (86th).
Warnings at Nîmes : Iafrate (36th), Marcel (61st), Beneddine (90th + 1), Bouaoune (90th + 4).
Warnings at Nancy : Touré (36th), Thiaré (62nd).
Expulsion à Nîmes : M. Hermach (90th, direct red, dangerous tackle).

NÎMES : Simon – Labonne, Iafrate (M.Hermach 80th), Paviot, Beneddine – Picouleau (cap, Doukansy 63rd), Akkal (I. Camara 57th), Mexico, Bouaoune – Marcel, Abdeldjelil.

NANCY: Sourzac – Julloux, Saint-Ruf (cap), Thiar, Experience – Carlier, Bouriaud – Gomel (Fdaouch 67th), Bouabdeli (B. Camara 80th), Sidib (Ciss 73rd) – Tour (Dabasse 67th).

Marcel, vain equaliser

Probably sensing the danger, the Lorrainers moved higher and faster after the break. And got their hands and both feet on the match. Nîmes retreated, Nîmes suffered, Nîmes was dominated. And Nîmes conceded a second goal, first awarded, then disallowed for a difficult Nancy offside (58th).

After a save by Simon (70th) on a first shot by star recruit Fdaouch (best passer in National 2023 and 2024, returned from Belgian D2) and the equalizer by Marcel, served by Bouaoune, in the process, for his first Nîmes goal (finally!), we naively believed that the match could turn (1-1, 71st).

Simon delays the deadline, little brother Hermach sent off

Except that Simon (still decisive, 75th and 83rd) couldn't push everything back. Except that the header from the substitute Dabasse, on a new cross from Expérience, was perfect (1-2, 86th).

The end of the Gard game was, however, nightmarish: another goal conceded in the last minutes, then the direct expulsion of Marwane Hermach for a dangerous tackle (89th). The evening ended with a cry of pain from Camara in the Lorraine area (90th + 6). After getting up, he was going to show his cut knee to the referee, Mr. Jamet, without him flinching. To each his own cross…

The coaches' reactions

Adil Hermach (Nîmes coach): “It's infuriating, because we didn't deserve it. Given our waste of energy, I would have liked us to be rewarded with a point. We came up against a tough opponent, who scored at the end. But we'll get there!”

Pablo Correa (Nancy coach): “We knew that Nîmes could hurt us with the ball. We didn't give them many chances. We saw a good return match."