By D. Crossan
Olympique de Marseille scored a hard-fought 1-0 win at Nice to launch a critical week for the club in the best possible manner.
OGC Nice 0-1 Olympique de Marseille 
THE MATCH
Shorn of injured top scorer Florian Thuavin as well as the suspended Luiz Gustavo and Lucas Ocampos, OM put in a battling performance at Allianz Riviera, claiming the spoils thanks to Morgan Sanson converting their only attempt on target (42′).
Nice began brightly as their 3-4-3 formation posed problems for the OM rearguard. Myziane Maolida had a shot blocked by Boubacar Kamara (9′) and then Mario Balotelli – back in the starting line-up – went searching for his customary goal against OM, denied twice by Steve Mandanda in the OM goal (15′ and 24′).
Les Aiglons were by far the more dangerous side and worked an opening for Allan Saint-Maximin only for the home top scorer’s left-footed shot to be comfortably dealt with by Mandanda (29′). OM then hit Nice with a sucker punch as Bouna Sarr cut the ball back for Sanson, who did well to rid himself of the attentions of Youcef Atal before slamming a left-footed shot beyond Walter Benitez.
Sanson almost added to his second goal of the season at the beginning of the second half (48′) only for Atal to make an important block. Former Nice full-back Jordan Amavi might have done better (69′) before Nice threw everything into the final 20 minutes. Balotelli (71′) had a shot blocked, Wylan Cyprien (73′) whistled one past Mandanda’s post and then Dante (81′) was ever so close with an improvised hooked shot.
As it was, Nice fell to their fourth home defeat in five games under Patrick Vieira and have failed to score in any of those reverses. OM can now think about scoring their first win in this season’s Europa League when they entertain Lazio on Thursday, before welcoming Paris Saint-Germain to Orange Vélodrome on Sunday for Le Classique.
THE PLAYER: Mario Balotelli
Looking sharper after intensive training during the international window, the burly Italian forward looked in the mood to maintain his record of having scored against Marseille every time he’d faced them. Mandanda kept him at bay and his record now reads five goals in five games against OM. A second-half booking was Balotelli’s third yellow card of the season, meaning he’ll be suspended.
THE STAT: 4
OM have beaten Nice in each of the clubs’ last four Ligue 1 Conforama meetings.
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