At the Stade de France this Saturday, May 7, Nantes added a trophy to their list by winning the Coupe de France against Nice thanks to a whistled penalty in the first seconds of the second half.
For the first time since 2014, Paris Saint-Germain was not invited to the party at the Stade de France, to play the final of the Coupe de France. This evening in Saint-Denis, in the Paris region, two former glories of French football, Nice and Nantes, had the opportunity to refresh their record.
A balanced first half
Nice and its Brazilian captain Dante, who won everything with Bayern Munich, then had the idea of finding a trophy after that gleaned in 2017 (already the Coupe de France). As for Nantes, with five Coupe de France finals lost in 1966, 1970, 1973, 1983 and 1993, the time to add a new line to its list came with the 105th edition of the Coupe de France. Eight times champions of France, the Canaries have not been since 2001.
During this open and balanced meeting, neither the men of Christophe Galtier for Nice, nor the men of Antoine Kambouaré for Nantes, managed to take the lead in the first period, despite the ten shots between the two formations . Like Amine Gouiri who struck from the left from 20 meters for Nice (29th). Asked by France Television at the break, the Algerian international Andy Delort (13 goals in Ligue 1 this season) felt that he was missing ” accuracy in the last gestures, for OGC Nice.
Nice muzzled at the Stade de France
A few seconds after the start of the second period, Nantes obtained a penalty after a handball from Hicham Boudaoui (46th), transformed without trembling by the Nantes captain, Ludovic Blas. From then on, Nantes pushed to make the break, like Chirivella who grazed the frame with a half-volley (49th), or the strike from the Nigerian Moses Simon, countered in extremis by a Nantes defender (58th).
But Nice did not go far from equalizing when Nantes goalkeeper Alban Lafont repelled two strikes in quick succession, with Gouiri and Delort (71st). A few minutes earlier, Khephren Thuram took a header from the penalty spot but did not bring down his ball enough which ended above the goal (66th). Despite four attackers, Nice remained muzzled at the Stade de France.
Nantes therefore offers itself a new trophy. This time, there was no longer any question of losing a new final. The FCN imposed itself after 1979, 1999 and 2000 and won its first trophy since its eighth title of champion of France, in 2001. The people of Nantes have qualified for the groups of the next Europa League. The club has not played in the European Cup since 2004, and a short appearance in the Intertoto Cup.
This success also rewards the work of coach Antoine Kombouaré, a former home player between 1973 and 1980, who took over a team on the verge of relegation last season. Twenty-five years after their last title, Nice will still have to wait.