PLAYER RATINGS | OGC Nice 1-1 Lens: Ali Abdi rescues point for Nice as Lens fail to take advantage of PSG’s slip-up
Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Round 31, 02/05/2026In a game with big implications at both ends of the table, it was OGC Nice who came out the happier side as they created a six-point buffer over AJ Auxerre in...
PLAYER RATINGS | OGC Nice 1-1 Lens: Ali Abdi rescues point for Nice as Lens fail to take advantage of PSG’s slip-up Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Round 31, 02/05/2026 In a game with big implications at both ends of the table, it was OGC Nice who came out the happier side as they created a six-point buffer over AJ Auxerre in the relegation playoff spot. RC Lens saw their narrow lead evaporate late into the second half when Saud Abdulhamid’s red card was immediately punished on the follow-up free kick. The Match It would be a dress rehearsal for the Coupe de France final as Lens travelled south to the French Riviera to face Nice.
The visitors hoped to set the tempo early when Mamadou Sangaré’s miscued shot found Odsonne Édouard in the box. The striker fired on the turn, initially wrongfooting Yehvann Diouf, although the keeper managed to scramble a save. Lens looked the more dominant side as Nice sat back and waited to pick out their moments.
Juma Bah had the best opportunity of the half for the hosts when he created a little separation from Samson Baidoo at a corner. The Nice centre-back leapt to reach Tom Louchet’s corner, but his effort was straight at Robin Risser. Tempers began to flare late into the first half after Malang Sarr body checked Antoine Mendy.
Sarr was already on a yellow, but the Lens defender managed to escape what looked like an easy decision for the referee. The second half threatened to be a touch more open, with Allan Saint-Maximin looking to force a moment of magic for Lens. The forward had done similar the previous weeks, having scored in Lens’s two previous games.
Continue to the original source for the full article.