A great comeback. Lille and Nice players' ratings for the Ligue 1 match

Very energetic football today! However, there was relatively little work for the goalkeepers—just 3 shots on target for Nice and 4 for Lille. Such an intense game was expected, given how close the teams were in the standings before the match, separated by just one point. With this victory, Lille has climbed to 3rd place, while Nice remains 5th, now under pressure from Lyon.

Lille’s win came as a surprise, especially considering Nice's dominance in the first half. For example, Nice’s xG at halftime was an impressive 2.57, compared to Lille's 0.24 (which later shifted to 2.87 and 1.02, respectively, by the end). However, Lille woke up in the second half, establishing their dominance with two goals, while Nice managed only two attempts on goal.

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Interestingly, in the history of clashes between Nice and Lille, the Eagles still hold the advantage with 10 wins to Lille's 7 (including today's match) over the last 15 years. However, the teams have shared an extraordinary 14 draws in that period.

Top Lille performers:

• Ismaïli and Thomas Meunier

Both delivered outstanding performances, recording more defensive actions than any Nice player. Meunier also contributed two key passes, registering an xA of 0.39.

• Benjamin André

André had a unique outing in duels. In the first half, Nice dominated Lille in this aspect (details below). However, André rebounded in the second half, not only recovering but surpassing all Nice players. He won 11 duels but lost 14—simultaneously the best (most won) and worst (most lost) result of the match. This sheer volume of duels underscores how intense his performance was.

• Jonathan David

As usual, David was Lille’s primary goal threat. Despite only two attempts on goal, he excelled as a team player, creating opportunities. Haraldsson’s goal, delivered from David’s incredibly precise through pass between Nice defenders, was a direct result of this effort.

Lille player ratings:

• Benjamin André - 7
• Mitchel Bakker - 7
• Adam Boaddi - 6
• G. A. Haraldsson - 7
• Angel Gomes - 7
• Jonathan David - 8
• Bafodé Diakité - 7
• Ismaïli - 8
• Rémy Cabella - 6
• Meunier T. - 8
• Others (limited minutes): Mandi A., Mukau N., Ribeiro A., Sahrraoui O., and Chevalier L. rated 6-7.

Top Nice performers

• Jonathan Clauss

Despite conceding the second goal due to his poor clearance from a Lille corner, Clauss contributed significantly to the game with 11 defensive actions and 3 key passes, earning an xA of 0.50. His overall impact makes him Nice’s standout player.

• Evann Guessand

Guessand had an excellent game with 8 duels won out of 14, 4 successful dribbles from 5 attempts, and 3 key passes. He was arguably the most consistent pressure point for Lille.

• Hicham Boudaoui and Melvin Bard

Nice’s attack collapsed in the second half, producing only two shots on target—both from Boudaoui and Bard. While not enough, it was something, especially when the team desperately needed to get back into the game.

Nice player ratings:

• Abdi A. - 7
• Melvin Bard - 6
• Hicham Boudaoui - 6
• Badredine Bouanani - 6
• Evann Guessand - 7
• Dante - 6
• Sofiane Diop - 7
• Jonathan Clauss - 7
• Gaëtan Laborde - 6
• Youssoufa Moukoko - 6
• Others (limited or below-par minutes): All rated 6-7, including Rosario P. (injured early; wishing a speedy recovery).