2023-04-21 02:03:24
The epic of the Niçois will not experience a new chapter on May 11 and 18. Favorites after the draw which awarded them FC Basel, the Azureans sank. Disappointed by their draw (2-2) in the first leg in Switzerland, the last French club on the European scene failed to get the better of their Swiss rival in the return (1-2, after extra time). An elimination which deprives him of a historic qualification for the last four of a European Cup.
In a fiery atmosphere, the scales initially tipped on the French side. From the 6th minute, Hicham Boudaoui, with a fine shot at the entrance to the area, believed to open the scoring but Terem Moffi, who had passed him, was in an offside position. No time to gamberger too much since four minutes later, the Niçois scored again. And this time, no worries, the goal is validated by the Dutch referee Serdar Gozubuyuk. It all started with Terem Moffi pressing on Swiss defender Kasim Adams Nuhu, who lost the ball. Khephren Thuram, the new French international, recovers the ball and serves Aaron Ramsey, who shifts Gaëtan Laborde to his right. The attacker deceives the Swiss goalkeeper, Marwin Hitz, with a shot deflected by a defender.
Without really being in danger, Nice retains its small advantage, while remaining at the mercy of a return from Basel. Still, it’s not for lack of trying. Nice could thus have taken the break on a penalty which was not finally granted after viewing the VAR (58th) and especially after a spectacular recovery from this devil of Laborde (64th).
Equalizer by former Parisian Jean-Kevin Augustin
But what had to happen happened. As in the first leg, the Swiss came out of nowhere by equalizing on their first shot on target (86th). A goal scored by former PSG player Jean-Kevin Augustin, who came into play in the 72nd minute. For the Francilien, the month of April is that of all the pleasures since Fifa condemned his former club, Leeds, to pay him 28 million euros.
The Niçois even escaped the worst on a strike from Zeki Amdouni, who hit the post (90th) during regulation time. Postponed. During extra time, on a cross from Darian Males, the Ghanaian Kasim Adams Nuhu scores with a header with the help of the post (98th). Nice is not varnished like Billal Brahimi who finds the bar on a free kick (108th).
“Of course we can have regrets, says Gaëtan Laborde at the microphone of W9. We made a great start to the match and then we fell into a false rhythm. We are disappointed for ourselves and the supporters. It should have been a party. We lacked efficiency and they manage to score this goal at the end of the match. »
After a complicated sporting period (six games without a win in Ligue 1, current series) and extra-sporting with the Galtier affair, the Aiglons of Nice saw the dream of a semi-final against Fiorentina vanish, which eliminated the Poles from Lech Poznan. In the other semi-final, the English of West Ham, executioners of Gantoise (4-1), will face AZ Alkmaar, who won on penalties against Anderlecht. A Nice elimination which does not suit the French in the fight for 5th place in the UEFA index.
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