Nice Secures First Ligue 1 Victory with Puel's Coaching and Cho's Goals
Nice secured their first Ligue 1 victory since October with a 4-1 win over Nantes, thanks to two goals from forward Mohamed-Ali Cho. Cho, who has scored five goals this season, made his mark in 2021 as the youngest player in France to sign a professional contract. Midfielders Sofiane Diop and Tom Louchet also found the back of the net for Nice, while Egypt striker Mostafa Mohamed scored for Nantes. Nice coach Claude Puel, who took over from Franck Haise, has only lost once in five games, bringing stability to the team during a challenging period.
Puel's disciplined coaching style has been a reassuring presence for Nice, which has been supported by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos since 2019. This is Puel's second stint as the coach of Nice, having previously led the team from 2012 to 2016, where he revitalized the career of former prodigy Hatem Ben Arfa. In other matches, Lyon faced Metz, and Lille played against Strasbourg. Marseille secured a 3-1 victory over Lens on Saturday, while Paris Saint-Germain narrowly won 1-0 against Auxerre on Friday.
Iceland midfielder Hákon Haraldsson has extended his contract with Lille until 2030. Since joining Lille from Copenhagen in 2023, Haraldsson has scored 19 goals in 102 games, showcasing his versatility on the field. This new deal reflects Lille's commitment to retaining key players for the long term.