Metz 2 - 4 Nice: Alassane Plea treble sends Nice four points clear

Posted Monday, October 24, 2016 by PA

Alassane Plea netted a hat-trick as Nice moved four points clear at the top of Ligue 1 thanks to a hard-fought 4-2 win at Metz.

Looking to maintain their impressive start to the season, Nice did not have long to wait to get off the mark as Jean Michel Seri's superb pass released Plea to fire beyond Thomas Didillon.

The crossbar prevented Wylian Cyprien from doubling the visitors' lead moments later and instead Metz levelled on 25 minutes.

A direct run from Georges Mandjeck led to a shooting chance for Mevlut Erding and, even though Yoan Cardinale parried his effort, Mandjeck followed up well to poke home.

However, Nice were offered the opportunity to restore their lead as half-time approached when Younes Belhanda was brought down inside the area by Jonathan Rivierez.

Plea grabbed the ball and was relieved to see his effort from 12 yards nestle in the net after Didillon chose the right way.

As in the first half, the league leaders failed to hold on to their lead when, just a matter of seconds after replacing Mandjeck, Habib Diallo met Erding's downward header and fired a half-volley beyond Cardinale on 69 minutes.

Nice continued to threaten, though, and Plea completed his treble in the 83rd minute, slotting the ball through the legs of Didillon after Belhanda's through-ball sent him racing clear.

And there was still time for Cyprien to get in on the act as he netted in added time to seal the points.