Guessand penalty helps Nice keep pace with Ligue 1 leaders

Updated: Jan 27, 2024, 01:29 pm
Evann Guessand has three goals in Ligue 1 this season.
Photo by VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images

Second-placed Nice earned a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Metz in Ligue 1 on Saturday thanks to a second-half penalty from Evann Guessand.

The hosts were awarded a penalty after Metz defender Fali Cande fouled Guessand in the 77th minute and the Nice striker kept his cool to find the bottom corner of the net.

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Nice moved five points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain, who play third-placed Brest on Sunday.

Metz had an early scare when their goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja fouled Guessand, causing the referee to award a penalty, but the decision was overturned by VAR due to an earlier offside.

Despite relentless pressure, a diving header from Khephren Thuram was the closest Nice came to scoring in the first half, but Oukidja pushed the attempt away.