Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Nice beat Nîmes 4-0 in their first pre-season friendly of summer 2026, with goals from Isak Jansson, Zoumana Diallo, Sofiane Diop and Victor Orakpo at the training centre.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Captain Jonathan Clauss needed just four minutes to make his mark. The right-back overlapped and delivered a low cross into the box, where Isak Jansson turned and fired a first-time effort into the top corner to open the scoring (4').
Nice doubled their lead in the 18th minute when young striker Zoumana Diallo won a penalty and stepped up to convert it himself, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot.
Sofiane Diop, introduced at half-time, made it 3-0 within eight minutes of the restart. He wriggled through the Nîmes defence inside the box and finished calmly past the goalkeeper (53').
Victor Orakpo, back at Nice after a loan spell at Nancy, rounded off the scoring with the pick of the goals. Melvin Bard's through ball split the Nîmes defence, and Orakpo lobbed the goalkeeper first-time with a composed finish (62').
Nîmes had their best chance late on, but Nice substitute goalkeeper Martin Ponsot made a smart save to preserve the clean sheet.
The turning point
Diallo's 18th-minute penalty, which he both won and converted, effectively ended the contest before it had time to develop. Nîmes, who had only resumed training on Monday, were already chasing a two-goal deficit against a Ligue 1 side that had been in pre-season for over a week.
Key performers
- Isak Jansson — opened the scoring with a stunning turn and finish into the top corner inside four minutes. His movement stretched Nîmes throughout the first half.
- Zoumana Diallo — the young forward won and scored a penalty, showing composure beyond his years. He was a persistent threat up front in the first half.
- Victor Orakpo — fresh from a loan at Nancy, the Nigerian striker scored the goal of the match with a first-time lob from Bard's pass, and linked play well in the second half.
- Jonathan Clauss — captained the side in the first half and delivered the assist for Jansson's opener with a trademark overlap and cross.
Player of the match: Isak Jansson (Nice)
By the numbers — interpreted
Nice scored four goals from an expectedly modest pre-season shot count, with their clinical finishing the standout feature. The first-half XI (3-4-3) had a more experienced spine with Clauss, Ndayishimiye and Abergel, while the second-half XI featured younger players including Orakpo, Cho and Bard. Nice's two completely different XIs in each half, compared to Nîmes making fewer changes, underlined the depth Pantaloni is working with.
What it means
This was the first pre-season friendly of summer 2026 for both sides. Nice — who finished 5th in Ligue 1 last season — are preparing for the 2026-27 campaign under Olivier Pantaloni, who used the match to test his preferred 3-4-3 formation. Nîmes, now in the third-tier National 1, face a tougher rebuilding job after a summer of transition.
Nice's next pre-season friendly is against Juventus on Friday 24 July (18:00 CET), a significant step up in opposition. Nîmes continue their preparation with further friendlies ahead of the National 1 season.
Verdict
A controlled, professional workout from Nice against a Nîmes side that was clearly earlier in their pre-season programme. The scoreline reflected the gulf in class and preparation, but Pantaloni will have learned more from the 4-0 win than the margin suggests — particularly the instant impact of Jansson and Orakpo, and the solidity of the 3-4-3 shape with two different XIs.
Match Events
Nice and Nimes have met 7 times — Nice won 6, Nimes won 1, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2018. Nice leads the head-to-head with 6 victories from 7 meetings. A combined 19 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 2.71 per match (13 for the home side, 6 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 4 matches (57%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 4 games (57%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. Nice are currently unbeaten in the last 3 meetings. The highest-scoring encounter finished 1–3 in 2021.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 19 Jul 2026