Coupe de France 21/22, Quarter-Final – 9/2/22
NICE – 4 (Gouiri 10, Kluivert 29, 49, Delort 61)
Marcin Bułka, 6
Flavius Daniliuc, 6
Jean-Clair Todibo, 6
Dante, 5
Melvin Bard, 5
Morgan Schneiderlin, 6
Pablo Rosario, 6
Khéphren Thuram, 7 – He was the midfield driving force behind much of Nice’s ability to press and counter to such devastating effect, Galtier may have stumbled across something by using him on the left of an asymmetrical midfield four. Most notably, he won back the ball before muscling between OM defenders to create the equaliser.
Justin Kluivert, 9 – Some of his dribbling before halftime was world-class, it was his precise header that made it 2-0 before his thunderbolt from the edge of the area made it three. He also provided a stunning whipped cross for Delort’s fourth.
Andy Delort, 8 – A much more effective partner for Gouiri than in recent league games. His sharp through ball assisted the leveller before he set up the second with an astute cross for Kluivert and it was he who ghosted in at the back post for 4-1.
Amine Gouiri, 7 – Electric in the first third of the game and did well to skip between OM defenders and slide home for 1-1 and it was his direct run and well-timed ball that created the second.
Others: Brahimi 6, Claude-Maurice 5, Guessand 5, Lemina 5.
MARSEILLE – 1 (Bard OG 3)
Pau López, 4
William Saliba, 2 – Started at right-back, but lacked the intensity needed at full-back in such an open game, before moving back to the right of a three at halftime, but was equally at sea in both roles. Needlessly losing possession led to the equaliser, he was caught under the ball just after halftime which allowed Nice to counter for 3-1 and lost Delort for the fourth. His supreme calmness can go too far and make him appear slow and lethargic.
Leonardo Balerdi, 3
Duje Ćaleta-Car, 4
Luan Peres, 3
Valentin Rongier, 3 – Wayward on the ball and too often picked off. A heavy touch, one of many, and an ill-advised dribble directly led to Nice’s second. Not far off a 2.
Mattéo Guendouzi, 5
Gerson, 4
Cengiz Ünder, 6 – Lively throughout. It was his shot that led to the own goal and he routinely took up good positions as a threat from the flank. Probably should have scored, however, wildly firing over from around the penalty spot in the first half but was by far OM’s biggest danger.
Dimitri Payet, 5
Arkadiusz Milik, 4
Others: Bakambu 5, Lirola 5.