NICE: Nice handed out an 8-0 mauling to St Etienne in France’s Ligue 1 on Friday after racing six goals clear in the first half.

Nice’s 20-year-old striker Mohamed-Ali Cho was the chief tormentor, ripping Saint-Etienne’s left flank to pieces, scoring the third goal and providing assists in three others.

“We were overrun, 6-0 at half-time, it’s just dreadful,” said St Etienne defender Dennis Appiah.

Defender Leo Petrot added it was a “disgrace” for the newly-promoted club.

“There’s no analysis. It’s a disgrace what we did. We should be ashamed for ourselves, for our supporters and for all the work we put in,” Petrot told DAZN after St Etienne suffered their fourth loss in five league games this season.

“To concede eight goals, to be nonexistent in our state of mind and in duels. I don’t know what to say.”

Dylan Batubinsika’s fourth-minute own goal started a debacle for the visitors and as followed by strikes from Tanguy Ndombele, Cho, two from Youssoufa Moukoko, Evann Guessand, Sofiane Diop and a late penalty from new signing Pablo Rosario.

St Etienne had conceded seven goals in three defeats since coming up into Ligue 1 via the play-offs, but beat Lille 1-0 last weekend.

The win coincided with Nice’s 120th anniversary celebrations, with head coach Franck Haise saying the result would remain engraved in his mind forever.

“Matches with such scores do not happen often, if ever,” Haise said amid a festive atmosphere at Stade de Nice, with the hosts claiming their second win in five Ligue 1 matches.

Petrot said Saint-Etienne would try to put this result behind them as soon as possible, with their next match at Nantes coming up on Sept 29.

“We’ve got 10 days to work really hard... We’ll be looking ahead to the next game very quickly,” Petrot said.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2024