Costly errors sink Go Ahead Eagles in 3–1 Europa League defeat at Nice
Go Ahead Eagles were beaten 3-1 in the UEFA Europa League by French side OGC Nice on Thursday. Poor errors in possession led to two goals for the home side in the first half, with Finn Stokkers getting Go Ahead’s solitary goal at the Allianz Riviera.
Despite the defeat, Go Ahead still has a chance of progression in the Europa League. The club from Deventer is two points behind Celtic, who are in the last remaining playoff spot with one game to go. Go Ahead host Braga, who are currently fifth, in their final game.
Go Ahead’s captain, Mats Deijl, started the game even though he is set for a departure from the club. Reports have stated that Deijl will be moving to Feyenoord within the next few days. Milan Smit, a striker for the club, also did not play due to an imminent transfer to Stoke City for a club record fee.
A pre-planned corner routine almost led to the first goal for the visitors in the fourth minute. Dean James played a low pass to Victor Edvardsen, but his effort was saved by Maxime Dupe in the Nice goal.
Nice had a chance to break the deadlock a minute later as the game swung back and forth. Kevin Carlos was put in a one-on-one situation with keeper Jari de Busser after a chipped pass over the defence, but his finish was far from adequate, going out for a goal kick.
Some poor and very risky play at the back from Go Ahead resulted in the first goal for the French side. De Busser hit a very hard pass to James, the ball bounced off the left back, with Charles Vanhoutte converting from close range.
Nice, who were already knocked out prior to the game, having lost all their matches in the competition, were clearly suspect when it came to defending set pieces. This should have led to the equalizer on the half-hour mark when a corner found defender Joris Kramer unmarked in front of goal, but the defender headed the chance onto the goalpost.
This proved costly as Nice made it 2-0 in the 41st minute. Again, Melvin Boel’s side lost the ball in a dangerous position, and this was punished with a thunderous striker from Tiago Gouveia, which went in off the inside of the post.
Despite the fact that it had led to two goals from the opposition, Go Ahead kept playing risky passes from the back. Fortunately for them, Nice’s striker, Carlos, failed to convert another chance in the 50th minute, hitting the crossbar with his effort.
Nice put the game to bed nine minutes later. Mohamed-Ali Cho dribbled past his man before his cross to the far post found Gouveia unmarked, and the Portuguese winger nodded home to get his second goal of the game.
Boel’s side got a goal back in the 68th minute. Jakob Breum did very well to carry the ball into the box and play it to Finn Stokkers, whose inside-of-the-foot finish went into the far corner.
Both sides showed their weak defending in the closing stages, but once again, both strikers, Carlos and Edvardsen, were unable to convert the chances.
