Nice advanced with a 2-0 victory away to Strasbourg on Thursday night, a result that pushes Claude Puel’s side into the Coupe de France final and deepens the scrutiny on Gary O’Neil’s possession-heavy but blunt project.
Strasbourg, set up in a 4-2-3-1, monopolised 66 percent of the ball yet rarely moved Nice off their axis. Andrew Omobamidele’s yellow card in the 30th minute summed up an opening spell defined by sterile control and frustration. Julio Enciso struck twice on target before the interval, Diego Moreira raided from the left, yet Maxime Dupé was only required to make one save.
The breakaway that mattered arrived in the 51st minute. Jonathan Clauss released Elye Wahi, who applied the finish Strasbourg had been chasing. It was the clean, direct action Nice had been waiting for after spending the first half compressed inside their own half-space.
O’Neil reacted on the hour with Sebastian Nanasi and Gessime Yassine summoned in the 64th minute, then Samuel Amo-Ameyaw at the 72nd, as Strasbourg chased width and tempo. Moreira’s booking for a foul in the 77th minute was the by-product of that urgency, but Puel’s tweaks were the better calibrated. Mohamed-Ali Cho replaced Tom Louchet in the 59th minute, collected a yellow card for time wasting moments later, then surged through in the 79th minute to win a penalty on review after Ismaël Doukouré’s foul. Wahi converted from the spot in the 82nd minute and the tie was finished. Dupé’s time-wasting caution in the 84th minute, Wahi’s withdrawal for Charles Vanhoutte in the 88th minute, and Hicham Boudaoui’s stoppage-time booking at 90+4 were the only remaining notes, alongside Strasbourg sending on David Datro Fofana for Omobamidele in the 88th minute.
Puel’s 3-4-2-1 never tried to wrestle the ball away; it was drilled to run transitions through Clauss and Melvin Bard while Antoine Mendy locked the right flank with three tackles, two blocks and four duels won. Salis Abdul Samed shielded the back three, allowing Kojo Peprah Oppong and Abdulay Juma Bah to stay narrow. O’Neil’s side, despite Samir El Mourabet’s industry and Moreira’s four key passes, failed to turn their 12 shots inside the box into jeopardy.
Key statistics:
- Strasbourg 17 total shots, 2 on target
- Nice 4 total shots, 3 on target
- Possession: Strasbourg 66 percent, Nice 34 percent
- Clauss delivered the decisive assist, Wahi scored both goals
- Nice earned nine corners, Strasbourg managed two
The result buys Puel the chance to play for silverware and gives Wahi another stage after a month of steady scoring form. Strasbourg now have a week to absorb the blow before league play resumes, trying to transform volume into incision. Nice will turn their focus to the Coupe de France final against RC Lens on 22 May.
