Nice Côte d'Azur claimed a 3:2 victory over Anglet in the Magnus League on Thursday evening. The result leaves both sides level on points after just two outings this season. To be fair, there was nothing particularly dramatic about the way it unfolded — goals were traded, nothing more.
We had tipped the home side at 56 per cent confidence before kickoff. It felt reasonable enough: Nice were unbeaten in their previous two fixtures, while Anglet had lost both. By then, the pattern was clear enough that a win for the hosts didn't require much imagination.
The visitors came out looking to counter, and for stretches they had the better of proceedings. Anglet pushed forward when they needed to, but Nice's structure held firm when it mattered. There were moments where the away side looked dangerous, yet they couldn't find that cutting edge.
Nice took control in the second period and never really let go. The home side's experience showed through — they knew when to slow the game down and when to press. Three goals separated them from Anglet at one stage, and that cushion proved vital.
Anglet pulled one back late on, which at least gave the visitors something to talk about. But Nice held their nerve and saw out the result. It was a narrow margin, but in a tournament where every point counts, that makes the difference.
Both teams now sit on zero points from two games — the Magnus League is only just beginning. Nice move into third place while Anglet remain in eleventh. The gap between them on the table is theoretical at this stage, but the confidence levels will tell a different story.
