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Nice’s fireworks turned the Côte d’Azur into a goal‑factory
A 5‑2 drubbing on the Riviera left Stade Rennais nursing a bruised ego and a scoreboard that looked more like a fireworks display than a football match. Nice, who arrived with nothing more than a modest league standing, turned their home ground into a launchpad for six‑minute bursts of brilliance. By halftime the visitors were already looking like they’d been handed a red card for being too boring – 3‑1 down and still trying to locate the net.
The first half was a masterclass in opportunism. Jonathan Clauss, who earned a 7.51/10, sliced through the Rennes defence with the precision of a surgeon and opened the scoring with a low‑driven finish that left the keeper grasping at air. Elye Wahi, fresh off a loan spell that turned heads, added a 7.45/10‑worth strike, his power‑packed header rattling the back of the net. Mohamed Amoura, rating 7.36, was the catalyst for the second goal, threading a defence‑splitting pass to Diop, whose 7.29 rating reflected a day of intelligent movement and a well‑timed finish.
Rennes tried to claw back, but their attempts were as disjointed as a rehearsal for a play that never opened. The second half saw Nice’s rhythm tighten, and the French side’s attacking trio kept the pressure relentless. A fourth Nice goal arrived from a counter‑attack that left Rennes scrambling, while a fifth was a tidy finish after a corner that caught the defense off‑balance. The only consolation for Rennes came late, a consolation strike that did little to mask the day’s shortcomings.
What does this mean for the table? Nice’s three‑point haul propels them a notch higher, tightening the chase for the European spots and sending a clear message: they can turn a routine home fixture into a statement of intent. Rennes, meanwhile, slide deeper into the lower half, their defensive frailties now exposed for all to see. If they don’t tighten up, the fight for survival will become a marathon rather than a sprint.
The match was a showcase of why Ligue 1 can still surprise. Nice’s attacking trio proved that when the stars align, the Côte d’Azur can become a goal‑scoring furnace, leaving opponents to wonder whether they were watching football or a fireworks display.
Player Ratings
- Jonathan Clauss (Nice) – 7.51/10
- Elye Wahi (Nice) – 7.45/10
- Mohamed Amoura (Nice) – 7.36/10
- Sofiane Diop (Nice) – 7.29/10