Nice hosted AS Monaco in the derby de la Cote d'Azur at the Allianz Riviera on Tuesday night.
The home team were looking to bounce back from five consecutive games in Ligue 1, while Monaco went into the game coming off back-to-back defeats for the first time since September.
However, it was the away side that secured a comfortable victory as they kept pace with the league leaders.
Read how the match unfolded in the live commentary below.
Hello and welcome to part two of Sports Mole's Tuesday night Ligue 1 coverage where Nice host AS Monaco at the Allianz Riviera.
This should be a brilliant game between two footballing teams who are both eager for a win. Having faded away after such a good start, Nice are desperate to end their disastrous losing streak that they currently find themselves on, while Monaco seem to be over a recent blip and will once again try to challenge at the top.
What makes this match even spicier is the fact that it is a local derby! Known as the derby de la Cote d'Azur, which is contested by the two teams occupying the area next to the French Riviera. They haven't met since April 2011, but that's not to say that this rivalry will be any less heated and passionate when the two take to the field.
Nice ran out 3-2 winners in their last meeting, but the most notable clash (literally) between the two in recent history came in January 2010 when Monaco won by the same scoreline.
That meeting itself was an incident-ridden match which saw Nice defender Renato Civelli sent off in the latter stages of the game, during which several Nice supporters stormed the pitch and attacked the Monaco fans. Their actions resulted in Nice being forced to play a home match behind closed doors. So yes, it can get pretty feisty this one.
But that's in the past, and this is the present, so here are the teams for today.
NICE XI: Veronese, Bodmer, Genevois, Gomis, Kolodziejczak, Abriel, Bruls, Digard, Mendy, Cvitanich, Eysseric
Claude Puel makes two changes to the team that were humbled at Lorient at the weekend.
Jordan Amavi drops to the bench, while Gregoire Puel misses out all together. Romain Genevois and Mathieu Bodmer come in.
Now let’s take a look at what Puel has on the bench.
NICE BENCH: Cardinale, Amavi, Palun, Bruins, Rafetraniaina, Bosseti, Honorat
So that's what Nice have, now time for Monaco.
MONACO XI: Subasic, Raggi, Carvalho, Abidal, Kurzawa, Moutinho, Toulalan, Obbadi, Rodriguez, Martial, Riviere
Claudio has decided against making any changes to his team following their 2-0 win over Rennes last time out.
Radamel Falcao is still out injured for the principality club, so 17-year-old Anthony Martial, who scored at the weekend, partners Emmanuel Riviere in attack in the absence of the Colombian.
Here are the Monaco substitutes at Ranieri's disposal.
MONACO BENCH: Romero, Fabinho, Isimat-Mirin, Tisserand, Kondogbia, Ocampos, Germain
So those are the teams, and we are just moments from kick off. The teams are making their way out.
Out they come. Nice in their red and black vertically striped home shirts with black shorts and socks. Monaco are in their changed away stripp of all white from top to bottom.
KICK OFF! Monaco, playing from left to right, get the game up and running.
Decent start from Monaco. They've had all the possession so far.
SAVE! Riviere knocks the ball down for Martial, but his strike from the edge of the box is saved by Veronese.
GOAL! Nice 0-1 AS Monaco (James Rodriguez)
What a start for Monaco. They break downfield and James Rodriguez latches onto a knocked-on pass before bending the ball into the far corner from close range.
It's been a decent response from Nice, with Subasic forced into make a low stop.
Moutinho curls in a corner and Veronese takes no chances by pushing the ball over his own bar.
Cvitanich is nearly played in through the Monaco defence by Bruls, but the flag is up against the striker for offside.
Monaco are on top at the moment following their goal. Kurzawa and Raggi, the full-backs, are getting forwards and whipping crosses in at every opportunity.
Eysseric hacks down Rodriguez on the right wing, and now Monaco have a chance to get the ball into the box from this free kick.
Rodriguez leaves it for Moutinho to float in, but Bodmer is able to comfortably clear.
Nice nearly find a way through on the counter-attack. Abriel surges down the right a lifts a cross into the box, which just evades Bruls.
GOAL! Nice 0-2 AS Monaco (Emmanuel Riviere)
Great goal for the away side to double their lead. Very patient build-up resulting in a brilliant cross from the right by Martial and an even better header from Riviere at the near post. He lept like a salmon and flicked it into the far corner. Superb. Who needs Falcao?
Nice have a mountain to climb now if they are to avoid a sixth-straight defeat.
SAVE! Nearly a perfect response from Nice. Cvitanich wriggles into a shooting opportunity before smashing a shot towards the bottom corner, but Subasic pulls off a fine save at his near post.
SAVE! Subasic called into action again. Eysseric picks up the ball short from a corner on the left and bends an effort towards the far top corner. It's got Subasic back-peddling, but he can stick out a hand and claw it away.
Nice have responded very well since going 2-0 down, but it may be too already. If it's not, then we have a great game on our hands.
Moutinho is down holding his head at the moment after a meeting of the minds with Mendy's solid nogging. He looks ok to carry on though.
Nice are enjoying more possession, but haven't created a chance in a number of minutes. Three chances each at the moment, but Monaco have taken two of theirs.
MISS! That's a sitter from Riviere. He was clean through on goal after a brilliant pass from Rodriguez. He draws out the keeper, but lifts it over him and the crossbar. That should have been a third.
Nice are still plugging away in an attempt to get back in the game, but Monaco are dealing with everything they have thrown at them so far.
Nearly a chance for Cvitanich, but he couldn't get the second touch he need.
YELLOW CARD Gomis goes into the book for a late challenge.
HALF TIME: Nice 0-2 AS Monaco
Very good half for Claudio Ranieri's Monaco. Rodriguez and Riviere with the goals, and it could be more. Nice have threatened, but haven't managed to take their chances like Monaco have. Martial has been impressive.
Let's bring you the half-time statistics.
Match statistics:
Nice:
Shots 4
On target 2
Possession 51%
Corners 3
Fouls 11
AS Monaco:
Shots 4
On target 3
Possession 49%
Corners 3
Fouls 10
Those stats are almost identical, but just goes to show the slight difference in class when it comes to both penalty areas.
The two teams are back out at the Allianz Riviera.
NICE CHANGE Abriel makes way at the break, with Honorat coming on.
KICK OFF! Nice get the second half back underway.
CHANCE! Nice have started on the front foot and win a corner. Bruls swings it in from the left to the near post where Bodmer gets his head to it. It flies just over and the referee gives a goal kick, although replays show that Subasic got a touch and it should have been a corner.
CLOSE! Rodriguez is so dangerous when cutting in on his left foot. He pulls of a Cruyff turn on the edge of the box to lead Mendy on his backside, before fizzing a low shot just past the far post.
Monaco are starting to take control once again.
Big moment as Rivere is played through on goal and goes one on one with Veronese. The striker goes down after the keeper comes out, but the referee tells the Monaco man to get up. There isn't much contact at all, but had Riviere gone down earlier, he may have got the spot kick.
NICE CHANGE Eysseric receives some boos from the home fans as he continues to carry on his disappointing form. Jordan Amavi is on.
Not sure what Puel's logic is behind that change. They're trailing 2-0 and he takes off a striker and brings on a defender.
We've got less than half an hour to play, and Monaco look more likely to get a third than Nice do to get off the mark.
Monaco are totally in control. Cvitanich has barely had a look in up front for Nice in this second half, Monaco have defended so well when called upon.
Play is held up for a moment as the referee clears an object from the field that was thrown from the stands.
MONACO CHANGE One talented youngster for another, as Lucas Ocampos comes on in place of Anthony Martial.
The ball nearly falls to Lucas Ocampos as Monaco flood the Nice penalty area, but Veronese can come and hold the ball.
That's greedy from Ocampos. He runs at the Nice backline, which has three defenders back-peddling, and has a free man to his left and right. Instead he opts to have a pop at goal, but his shot is blocked, whereas a pass to a teammate would have surely resulted in a third goal.
MONACO CHANGE Riviere, scorer of his team's second goal, is replaced by Valere Germain.
CHANCE! A fabulous move from Monaco, with Rodriguez at the heart of it once more. He links up brilliant with Kurzawa down the left before making his way into the box. He takes the ball towards the byline to try get his shot away, but Germain cannot get out of his way, and he falls as he has an effort on goal and drags it wide.
MONACO CHANGE James Rodriguez, who scored the opener and has been brilliant tonight, makes his way off the field with Geoffrey Kondogbia, the defensive midfielder, taking his place.
Monaco are just running the clock down now. The game is dead.
GOAL! Nice 0-3 AS Monaco (Lucas Ocampos)
Bodmer's defending there has just summed up Nice' recent form as well as their night. He picks up the ball in his own box and dwells on it far too long, allowing Ocampos to tackle him before round Veronese and slotting the ball into an empty net.
We will have two added minutes.
So after tonight's games, Monaco will stay third but go just two points behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain having played a game more, an a point adrift of second-placed Lille. Monaco will also be eight points clear of fourth-placed Marseille following their loss to Lille earlier today. Nice will stay 15th.
FULL TIME: Nice 0-3 AS Monaco
So easy peasy for Monaco heading as they keep pace with the league leaders, while Nice have now lost six in a row.
Here are the full-time stats.
Match statistics:
Nice:
Shots 4
On target 2
Possession 50%
Corners 4
Fouls 19
AS Monaco:
Shots 13
On target 5
Possession 50%
Corners 3
Fouls 15
That's all from me Matt Cotton. I'll be back with more Ligue 1 action tomorrow night. Until then, goodbye.
Written by
Matt Cotton
Matt Cotton
