Fine night for Nice

Valentin Eysseric was on target as Nice returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Reims to move clear of the drop.

Valentin Eysseric was on target as Nice returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Reims to move nine points clear of the Ligue 1 relegation zone. Claude Puel's side had suffered a five-match winless run ahead of the clash, but took the lead just after the break and never looked back as they held on for all three points in a one-sided match to move up a place into 14th. Reims, who have not won for eight league games now, remain eighth with three matches of the season remaining. The home side started strongly and just six minutes in Eysseric freed Jeremy Pied, who crossed perfectly toward Eric Beautheac on the right of the penalty area. He in turn headed the ball down from the far post but his effort went just over the bar. Three minutes later they came close again as Didier Digard picked up Antoine Devaux's cross on the left, which Reims goalkeeper Kossi Agassa managed to keep out. Midway through the first half, Nice pressed forward again and Pied laid the ball off to Bautheac, who penetrated inside the penalty area from the right before flicking the ball toward Dario Cvitanich for a snap-shot which Agassa blocked. The home side continued to dominate after the break and Agassa did well with a good reflex save to keep out Pied's close-range effort five minutes in, but a minute later they broke the deadlock. Bautheac's corner was cleared to the edge of the penalty box, where Eysseric volleyed the ball powerfully home to beat a stunned Agassa. Deep into the second half, Eysseric's free-kick outside the penalty box found Mathieu Bodmer, but his header sailed inches wide.