PLAYER RATINGS | OGC Nice 3-2 Rennes: Evann Guessand-inspired Nice start 2025 with a win | OneFootball

Ligue 1 McDonald’s, 03/01/25, Round 16

OGC Nice got their 2025 off to a winning start thanks to a deserved 3-2 win over Stade Rennais in a game punctuated and defined by goalkeeping errors.

The Match

Both sides were clinical in the first half. Chances were hard to come by, often the result of individual errors, but when they were presented, they were taken with aplomb. Evann Guessand got the first Ligue 1 goal in 2025, latching onto Tanguy Ndombélé’s exquisite ball over the top, out-muscling Mikayil Faye and finishing past Steve Mandanda.

The lead lasted just 15 minutes. Once again, it was all about the assist with Ludovic Blas this time cutting inside and dinking a pass into the path of Arnaud Kalimuendo, who beat Marcin Bulka at the near post. The Poland international should have done better with the effort but just minutes later, Nice retook the lead thanks to another goalkeeping error.

Mandanda played the ball straight to Sofiane Diop, who accpeted the gft and finished past the under-pressure former France international. Le Gym got a third before the break. Diop linked well with Guessand with the latter then galloping down the right, beating Faye and then finding Gaëtan Laborde at the back post to finish against his former club.

However, Rennes were gifted a route back into the game early in the second half. Lorenz Assignon’s driven shot was spilled right into the path of the onrushing Adrien Truffert, who made the simple finish from close-range.

Despite the entrance of Seko Fofana, on for his Rennes debut, Nice looked to more likely to get the goal. Guessand had a half-chance but fell on the ball in a good position and Hicham Boudaoui rattled the crossbar with a fierce effort that took a flick off the glove of Mandanda.

Substitute Pablo Rosario was sent off for a late studs-up tackle on Kalimuendo, however, Les Rennais failed to apply the pressure and Nice logically hung on for the win and – provisionally – are just three points away from the podium.

Nice player ratings

Marcin Bulka – 3

Despite another statistically impressive season, there is an impression that he is less imposing than he was last season, an impression confirmed by his performance here. He managed to disappear on Rennes’ first and was completely at fault for the second. He did, however, make himself big to get a fortuitous touch on another goal-bound effort from Blas, which came at 3-2 2.

Melvin Bard – 7

Mohamed Abdelmonem – 5

Youssouf Ndayishimiye – 6

Antoine Mendy – 6

Sofiane Diop – 7

Hicham Boudaoui  – 6

Tanguy Ndombélé – 8

Highly influential in the first half, looking to put Nice on the front foot with balls over the top of the Rennes defence. One of them picked out Guessand, as the Frenchman got a deserved assist. He has also become more important out of possession, covering space well and leading those around him.

Evann Guessand – 8

Gaëtan Laborde – 6

Badredine Bouanani – 4

Rennes player ratings

Steve Mandanda – 3

Given the scrutiny he is under amid Rennes’ attempts to replace him, this is the kind of performance he needed to avoid. He could have done better on the opener and was completely at fault for Nice’s second – a careless, costly, and match-defining. moment.

Mikayil Faye – 3

Leo Ostigard – 5

Hans Hateboer – 5

Adrien Truffert – 5

Azor Matusiwa – 6

Jordan James – 4

Lorenz Assignon – 4

Albert Gronbaek – 5

Replaced by Amine Gouiri (4) at half-time.

Ludovic Blas – 7

He flitted in and out of the game and his influence was not felt throughout but when Rennes were in the ascendancy, he was at the heart of things and was rewarded with an assist.

Arnaud Kalimuendo – 6

GFFN | Luke Entwistle – reporting from Nice