12th February, 2012
Paris Saint-Germain were denied victory for the first time since Carlo Ancelotti’s appointment as manager after a below-par display saw them finish goalless with struggling Nice.
PSG pressed in the second half and were thwarted in stoppage time when Nice goalkeeper Cedric Ospina tipped away Nene’s free-kick to preserve a point for his side.
But it was by no means one-way traffic and Nice had chances of their own to win it, with defender Luciano Monzon shooting just wide in the second half.
In fact, it was the home side who were first to threaten, but Eric Mouloungui’s shot after a solo run was repelled and Salvatore Sirigu made a fine reflex save from Anthony Mounier’s follow-up.
Signs of frustration were evident in the visitors’ ranks early on in the proceedings and assistant coach Claude Makelele was sent off from the sideline midway through the first half.
New signing Thiago Motta and Nene combined to set up Kevin Gameiro, who shot wide, and Milan Bisevac was also off target but PSG were at least emerging as an attacking force. Nice also had a chance before the interval, though, when Mouloungui’s direct running again caused problems, but he shot straight at Sirigu.
Ospina saved early on in the second half from Gameiro, and then from the striker’s replacement Guillaume Hoarau. Monzon’s long-range left-footed effort went close and Fabrice Abriel tested Sirigu as Nice went in search of a shock winner.
Hoarau’s shot was pushed over the bar by Ospina, who then had to be alert at the last to keep out Nene’s set-piece. PSG nonetheless return to the summit, a point ahead of Montpellier, while Nice remain in the relegation zone but move ahead of Auxerre into 18th place on goal difference.