Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Round 17, 03/01/2026

OGC Nice hosted RC Strasbourg Alsace in the first round of Ligue 1 fixtures in 2026. Both sides entered this match in poor form in the league, with Nice on a six-game losing streak in the league, while Strasbourg have not won a league match since November. 

The Match

It would be Claude Puel’s first game in charge of Nice, while in the opposite dugout, Liam Rosenior quite possibly has coached his last match for Strasbourg, with London calling. Nice looked much changed since Puel took over, with a more physical and aggressive out-of-possession approach. However, familiar problems would soon emerge. 

Kojo Peprah Oppong would have a nightmarish opening to the game, collecting a caution, before he then gave away a penalty by bringing down Abdoul Ouattara in the box. Joaquín Panichelli stepped up to the spot and ended a goal drought that had lasted since October. 

Nice would come close to leveling the scores before the halftime break. Sofiane Diop hit the post when he tapped Tiago Gouveia’s backheel towards goal, while Morgan Sanson had a gilt-edged chance to find the back of the empty net when he dispossessed Valentín Barco and caught Mike Penders in no man’s land. However, his chipped effort was well wide. 

At halftime, Elye Wahi would make his debut for Nice, replacing Gouveia. And he would make an instant change to the mood on the pitch. The striker on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt slipped past Lucas Høgsberg and rifled home within the box to level the scores. Nice came close shortly after to taking the lead. 

Everton Pereira set Sanson free past the defensive line. The midfielder could only fire towards Penders. The rebound fell to Wahi, but Penders was there again to parry away the danger. Strasbourg remained dangerous in what began to be stretched into an end-to-end affair, with Melvin Bard needing to clear Barco’s effort off the line in the 78th minute. 

However, neither side would be able to find the difference maker to take all three points and end their poor league form. For Rosenior, it will likely be a disappointing swan song at Strasbourg, while for Puel, there were at least positive signs as Nice put a stop to a six-game losing streak in the league. 

OGC Nice Player Ratings

Maxime Dupé, 5

Melvin Bard, 6

Kojo Peprah Oppong, 3

A terrible first half for the centre-back. He made several mistakes and gave away the penalty, which allowed a fairly toothless Strasbourg side to take the lead. 

Juma Bah, 5

Jonathan Clauss, 5

Morgan Sanson, 4

The midfielder had two golden opportunities to score for Nice and took neither. It’s a sign of the times in the south of France and the lack of confidence that runs through so much of the squad. The worry will be that he had to be replaced before the full-time whistle, when he pulled up with what looked like a cramp. 

Tanguy Ndombele, 5 

Everton Pereira, 6

Tiago Gouveia, 6

The winger appeared to be one of the more lively players in the first half for Nice. It was a bit of a surprise that he was taken off, but few can fault Puel for the move. He was replaced by Elye Wahi (7) at halftime. Wahi had a brilliant game and really changed the dynamic of this Nice side, giving them far more cutting edge. 

Sofiane Diop, 5

Mohamed-Ali Cho, 5

Strasbourg Player Ratings

Mike Penders, 7

He made several saves, which kept Strasbourg in this game and rescued a point. His double save to prevent Sanson and Wahi was particularly vital. 

Ben Chilwell, 5

Ismaël Doukouré, 4

Lucas Høgsberg, 5

Diego Moreira, 6

Valentín Barco, 4

The midfielder made several mistakes with the ball this evening. He’s usually a metronomic presence for Strasbourg, but he looked far more wayward. He was caught in possession in the first half, which almost gifted Nice a goal; it was somewhat lucky that Sanson is lacking in confidence. 

Samir El Moruabet, 5

Abdoul Ouattara, 5

Martial Godo, 5

Joaquín Panichelli, 5

He returned to the scoresheet this evening with a well-taken penalty, but there was still a sense that he is still struggling with the same confidence that he showed at the start of the campaign. In the first half, he had a few chances to double the lead, but kept on making the wrong decision. 

Julio Enciso, 6