Second-place Nice wins 3-0 at Brest, Monaco draws at Nantes

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This article was published 09/01/2022 (1681 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PARIS (AP) — Second-place Nice overcame an early sending off to add two more goals in a 3-0 win at Brest in the French league on Sunday.

After Denmark striker Kasper Dolberg opened the scoring in the 13th minute, Nice midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin was shown a red card in the 20th.

Nice withstood pressure before substitute striker Andy Delort netted in the 79th from forward Amine Gouiri’s fifth assist of a productive season. Gouiri grabbed his ninth goal with an effort deep in stoppage time.

Nice is above third-place Marseille on goal difference, although Marseille has played one game less.

Runaway leader Paris Saint-Germain was in action later Sunday at Lyon, where a win would restore PSG’s 13-point lead.

Nice coach Christophe Galtier paired Gouiri with Dolberg in a 4-4-2 formation. Dolberg’s goal was set up by Justin Kluivert — son of the prolific former Ajax, Barcelona and Netherlands striker, Patrick Kluivert.

Schneiderlin was then ordered off by referee Stephanie Frappart for a dangerous tackle.

Philippe Clement’s first game in charge of Monaco ended in a 0-0 draw at Nantes.

Clement won three straight Belgian league titles and replaced Niko Kovac after he was fired during the midseason break.

Clement earned a reputation as an attack-minded coach but this was a frustrating game of few chances, where Monaco defenders Djibril Sidibe and Benoît Badiashile limped off with thigh injuries in the first half.

Monaco is seventh and Nantes dropped to ninth behind Strasbourg, which won 2-0 at basement-battler Metz thanks to goals from striker Ludovic Ajorque and substitute Jean-Eudes Ahoulou.

Also, Clermont drew 0-0 with fellow struggler Reims.

Montpellier’s home game with Troyes was postponed because of a high number of coronavirus cases in the Troyes squad.

PSG, meanwhile, was without Lionel Messi and several other players who had the virus. Messi returns to individual training in the coming days after testing negative for the virus on Thursday.

But winger Angel Di Maria, midfielder Julian Draxler, central defender Danilo Pereira, left back Layvin Kurzawa and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma remain in isolation.

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