Lyon 0-1 Nice: Patrick Vieira secures first victory as Nice manager
Friday 31 August 2018 22:14, UK
Patrick Vieira claimed his first win as Nice manager after Allan Saint-Maximin's second-half strike secured a surprise 1-0 triumph at Lyon on Friday.
Vieira had made an inauspicious start since taking charge in the summer, with Nice claiming only one point from their first three Ligue 1 matches while they were hammered 4-0 at home to Dijon last Saturday.
But they responded at the Groupama Stadium, thanks largely to the display of goalkeeper Walter Benitez after Saint-Maximin's 50th-minute goal.
Saint-Maximin had fired against the underside of the crossbar at the beginning of the second half but his next effort left Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes with little chance, taking a deflection off defender Marcelo before nestling into the
net.
Benitez, who had been equal to a Ferland Mendy strike earlier, did brilliantly to preserve the visitors' lead after making two fine stops from Nabil Fekir. In total, he was called upon to make nine saves.
