Nice Beats Reims 2-1 To Take Back 2nd Place In Ligue 1 – News18

NICE, France: Ivory Coast forward Jeremie Boga scored the winner as Nice beat Reims 2-1 to take back second place in the French league on Sunday.

Boga picked his spot from 18 yards to unleash a low strike that Reims goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf palmed into his own net in the 82nd minute.

Nice is known for patiently probing for an opening by swapping passes in its own half. But goalkeeper Marcin Bulka diverted from the script with a long punt in the 55th. The Reims defense cleared the ball into the path of Gaetan Laborde, who drove forward to open the scoring for Nice with a shot off the underside of the bar.

Reims captain Yunis Abdelhamid met a cross from Junya Ito to equalize with a downward header in the 78th. Ito also hit the woodwork with an effort in the 67th.

“I think we were a bit too excited sometimes,” Nice center back Dante told Amazon Prime Video. “We will have to correct that for the next games so that we can have more control.”

Nice has built its success on a solid defense this season, the stingiest in Europe’s top five leagues, conceding only six goals in 15 league games.

Nice moved two points clear of Monaco while Reims dropped to seventh place.

Lille stayed fourth by stretching its unbeaten run to nine games in the league but lost ground in the race for automatic Champions League spots by drawing with Clermont 0-0.

Brest edged Metz 1-0 with a goal from substitute Jeremy Le Douaron in the 75th to climb to fifth place, two points behind Lille.

Abakar Sylla headed home a corner in the last second of stoppage time as Strasbourg snatched a 2-1 win over Le Havre. Dutch striker Emanuel Emegha notched his third goal in the last four games to put Strasbourg ahead in the 21st before Le Havre center back Yoann Salmier leveled by volleying home a free kick in the 49th.

Strasbourg leapfrogged Le Havre into 10th place, five points above the relegation playoff spot.

The 15th round ends later Sunday with Lyon vs. Toulouse, and Lorient vs. Marseille.

On Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain beat Nantes 2-1 to win an eighth straight game in the league and keep a four-point lead over Nice.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – Associated Press)