Hard-earned point for Nantes

Nantes were deducted three points this week but clawed one back from their goalless draw with Nice at the Allianz Riviera.

Nantes were deducted three points this week but clawed one back from their goalless draw with Nice at the Allianz Riviera. The north-west club were finally punished for fielding a suspended player, Abdoulaye Toure, in their August meeting with Bastia and the verdict dropped them to 11th in the Ligue 1 table while handing the Corsicans a walkover victory. Other results on Saturday meant they slipped a further place to 12th after failing to take all three points from their trip to fellow mid-table campaigners Nice. The stalemate ensured Les Aiglons preserve their unbeaten home record in the new year but Claude Puel's men risk being dragged into the battle to avoid relegation with only 13 games remaining. Nantes perhaps enjoyed the better chances in front of goal, and Johan Audel came close to breaking the deadlock in the 18th minute. After being put through by Serge Gakpe, the on-loan Stuttgart winger put his snapshot just wide. Les Canaris came knocking shortly after the half-hour and Gakpe was involved once again. Romain Genevois' cross from the right fell nicely for the Togolese but David Ospina made a low block. Nice finally woke up with half-time approaching and Christian Bruls was unlucky not to find the target at the end of a barnstorming run from deep. Bruls was back on the attack when play resumed, his powerful right-footed shot clattering Maxime Dupe and bouncing to safety. In the 65th minute Nantes wasted the best opportunity of the game. Audel was all alone and unmarked in the Nice box when Olivier Veigneau picked him out from the wing but the ball ended up with the fans instead of hitting the back of the net. Nantes were deflated but threatened once more through Ismael Bangoura, who went close with a smart shot from Gakpe's cross, before Nice tried their luck right at the death. One minute into second-half stoppage time, Mathieu Bodmer connected with Eric Bautheac's corner but the ball skimmed a post on its way out of play.