Paris FC snatch precious point at Nice (1-1) after thrilling encounter

Paris FC's first draw of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season!

And it's also the first shared points in the entire history between these two clubs. Back in the seventies, they met six times in the top flight, and each encounter always had a winner, never a stalemate.

This 6th matchday fixture had all the makings of a character test for the Parisian newcomers, and Stéphane Gilli's men rose to the occasion.

A challenging first half

From the opening whistle, Nice imposed high and aggressive pressing, suffocating Paris FC's build-up play and forcing the defenders into hurried clearances. The capital side showed too many technical lapses, with passes lacking precision and poor anticipation in off-the-ball movement.

The absence of defensive sliding also left gaps, which Sofiane Diop exploited in the 40th minute to break the deadlock following a marking error and communication breakdown in the Parisian backline.

Response and character after the break

After the half-hour mark, the Parisians attempted to regain control by pushing their defensive line higher and applying sustained pressure on Nice's defence. In the second half, Paris FC showed greater composure in possession and created several dangerous situations, though without finding the finishing touch.

Persistence eventually paid off: under pressure, defender Bombito handled the ball in his own area. Jean-Philippe Kraso, ice-cool from the spot, converted the penalty to earn a well-deserved equaliser.

A match interrupted and marked by intensity

The game was briefly halted around the 80th minute following homophobic chanting from sections of the Nice support. Despite this incident, the intensity remained fierce until the final whistle.

Also worth noting on Nice's side: several players had to leave the pitch through injury, raising questions about the physical conditioning of the Riviera club's squad.

A team learning and improving

This hard-fought point at the Allianz Riviera tastes almost like victory for Paris FC, who now sit in 10th place in the table. The team showed character, but must absolutely address individual errors and work on technical precision in their build-up play.

This match was also the first under the watchful eye of new sporting director Marco Neppe, fresh from his stint at Bayern Munich. No doubt he'll have taken notes ahead of the upcoming winter transfer window to strengthen the squad.

And now... back to Jean Bouin!

Paris FC will host Matchday 7 at the Stade Jean Bouin against FC Lorient on Friday 3rd October at 8:45pm. A perfect opportunity to confirm the resilience on display and deliver victory for the Parisian faithful.

Allez Paris FC!