Second-half goals from Eric Bautheac and Alassane Plea helped to earn Nice a 3-2 comeback victory over struggling Caen at the Stade Michel d'Ornano in Ligue 1 this evening.
© Getty Images
Nice were the first side to register something of danger, with lone striker Plea hammering in an effort from distance that required an equally-good save from Remi Vercoutre, who leapt to defend his top corner.
Damien Da Silva should have done better for Caen when he jumped to meet Thomas Lemar's cross, as his effort flew past the post without troubling the keeper.
Nice moved into the lead in the 32nd minute when promising defender Jordan Amavi tapped in following a scramble from a set piece, before Lenny Nangis won a spot kick, allowing Mathieu Duhamel to rifle home and bring Caen level.
The hosts turned the game on its head right on the stroke of half time when Da Silva switched the play inside to Nangis, who still had plenty to do from distance, but he managed to lash home a unstoppable effort past Simon Pouplin to make it 2-1.
The visitors had not been too disturbed by the turnaround and they were not behind for too long, given that Nangis clumsily gave away a penalty of his own. Bautheac stepped up and drew Nice level in the 64th minute.
The spot kick was to prove to be one of the defining moments of the fixture as Nice used it as a platform to push for a win, which they secured in the 74th minute through Plea, who finished confidently into the bottom corner.
Christopher Dodd
