Guessand penalty helps Nice keep pace with Ligue 1 leaders
Second-placed Nice earned a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Metz in Ligue 1 on Saturday thanks to a second-half penalty from Evann Guessand.
The hosts were awarded a penalty after Metz defender Fali Cande fouled Guessand in the 77th minute and the Nice striker kept his cool to find the bottom corner of the net.
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Nice moved five points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain, who play third-placed Brest on Sunday.
Metz had an early scare when their goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja fouled Guessand, causing the referee to award a penalty, but the decision was overturned by VAR due to an earlier offside.
Despite relentless pressure, a diving header from Khephren Thuram was the closest Nice came to scoring in the first half, but Oukidja pushed the attempt away.
Game Information
- Referees:
- Stephanie Frappart
French Ligue 1 Standings
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris Saint-Germain | 34 | 26 | 6 | 2 | +57 | 84 |
| Marseille | 34 | 20 | 5 | 9 | +27 | 65 |
| AS Monaco | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | +22 | 61 |
| Nice | 34 | 17 | 9 | 8 | +25 | 60 |
| Lille | 34 | 17 | 9 | 8 | +16 | 60 |
| Lyon | 34 | 17 | 6 | 11 | +19 | 57 |
| Strasbourg | 34 | 16 | 9 | 9 | +12 | 57 |
| Lens | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | +3 | 52 |
| Brest | 34 | 15 | 5 | 14 | -7 | 50 |
| Toulouse | 34 | 11 | 9 | 14 | +1 | 42 |
| AJ Auxerre | 34 | 11 | 9 | 14 | -3 | 42 |
| Stade Rennais | 34 | 13 | 2 | 19 | +1 | 41 |
| Nantes | 34 | 8 | 12 | 14 | -13 | 36 |
| Angers | 34 | 10 | 6 | 18 | -21 | 36 |
| Le Havre AC | 34 | 10 | 4 | 20 | -31 | 34 |
| Stade de Reims | 34 | 8 | 9 | 17 | -14 | 33 |
| Saint-Étienne | 34 | 8 | 6 | 20 | -38 | 30 |
| Montpellier | 34 | 4 | 4 | 26 | -56 | 16 |
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