Nice wins 4th straight in Ligue 1 after beating Ajaccio 3-0

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This article was published 10/02/2023 (1325 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NICE, France (AP) — Billal Brahimi scored twice with spectacular long-range strikes as Nice beat Ajaccio 3-0 for a fourth straight win in the French league on Friday.

Nice climbed to seventh place to pull within three points of a Europa Conference League spot while Ajaccio remained in the relegation zone.

Brazilian veteran Dante scored his first goal of the season by meeting a cross from Badredine Bouanani to fire home a half-volley in the third minute.

Brahimi came off the bench to double the lead with a curling shot from the edge of the box in the 70th. The Algeria international sealed the win with an even more outrageous strike into the far corner in the 90th.

Nice coach Didier Digard was full of praise for Brahimi, who has been struggling for playing time this season.

“He was making a lot of efforts and wasn’t rewarded with goals until recently,” Digard said. “We simply told him what we saw in him and maybe he’s realizing that he has qualities.”

Teenage winger Bouanani proved the main threat for Nice in the first half. He picked out Gaetan Laborde, who failed to make contact with the ball at the far post. Bouanani then had a deflected cross that bounced off the bar.

Nice has taken 16 points from 18 since since Didier Digard replaced Lucien Favre as coach last month.

On Saturday, league leader Paris Saint-Germain visits Monaco while second-placed Marseille plays Clermont.

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