Nice 2-1 Lorient

Mario Balotelli scored the winner and was sent off for two yellow cards inside six minutes

Mario Balotelli scored a late winner and was sent off as Nice beat Lorient to return to the top of Ligue 1.

The Italian produced a sublime curling strike in the 86th minute to restore his side's lead and was booked for removing his shirt in celebration.

In added time, he was dismissed after being shown another yellow card for a clash with Lorient's Steven Moreira.

Despite Balotelli's red card, Nice easily held on to extend their unbeaten start to the season to eight games.

Ricardo Pereira had given the hosts the lead in the 11th minute before Benjamin Moukandjo equalised for Lorient shortly after the hour mark.

Nice's victory means they moved above Monaco, who had gone top on Saturday by thrashing Metz 7-0.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Nice

Formation 3-5-1-1

30Cardinale

4Baysse31Costa Santos33Sarr

21Ricardo Pereira25Cyprien24Bodmer6Seri29Chagas Estevao

5Belhanda

9Balotelli

• 30Cardinale
• 4Baysse
• 31Costa Santos
• 33SarrBooked at 59mins
• 21Ricardo Pereira
• 25Cyprien
• 24BodmerSubstituted forPléaat 76'minutes
• 6Seri
• 29Chagas EstevaoSubstituted forEyssericat 63'minutesBooked at 88mins
• 5Belhanda
• 9BalotelliBooked at 90mins

Substitutes

• 1Hassen
• 2Souquet
• 13Eysseric
• 14Pléa
• 18Walter
• 22Donis
• 26Koziello

Lorient

Formation 4-3-3

40Lecomte

20Moreira5Toure13Ciani25Le Goff

7Mvuemba6Bellugou8Ribeiro Dias

27Cabot12Moukandjo21Mara

• 40Lecomte
• 20MoreiraBooked at 90mins
• 5Toure
• 13Ciani
• 25Le Goff
• 7MvuembaSubstituted forBen Khemisat 85'minutes
• 6BellugouBooked at 27minsSubstituted forMesloubat 64'minutes
• 8Ribeiro DiasBooked at 85mins
• 27Cabot
• 12MoukandjoSubstituted forWarisat 72'minutes
• 21Mara

Substitutes

• 9Waris
• 16Delecroix
• 17Mesloub
• 23Fofana
• 26Ben Khemis
• 28Barthelme
• 34Koffi

Referee:

Olivier Thual

Attendance:

17,816

Match Stats

Home TeamNiceAway TeamLorient

Possession

Home54%

Away46%

Shots

Home8

Away17

Shots on Target

Home2

Away4

Corners

Home3

Away5

Fouls

Home9

Away14

Live Text

1. Post update

   Match ends, Nice 2, Lorient 1.

2. 90'+5'

   Full Time

   Second Half ends, Nice 2, Lorient 1.

3. 90'+4'

   Post update

   Foul by Younès Belhanda (Nice).

4. 90'+4'

   Post update

   Michael Ciani (Lorient) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

5. 90'+4'

   Post update

   Corner, Nice. Conceded by Steven Moreira.

6. 90'+2'

   Dismissal

   Second yellow card to Mario Balotelli (Nice).

7. 90'+2'

   Booking

   Steven Moreira (Lorient) is shown the yellow card.

8. 90'+2'

   Post update

   Valentin Eysseric (Nice) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

9. 90'+2'

   Post update

   Foul by Walid Mesloub (Lorient).

10. 90'+1'

    Post update

    Offside, Nice. Paul Baysse tries a through ball, but Mario Balotelli is caught offside.

11. 90'

    Post update

    Mario Balotelli (Nice) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

12. 90'

    Post update

    Foul by Issam Ben Khemis (Lorient).

13. 88'

    Booking

    Valentin Eysseric (Nice) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

14. 88'

    Post update

    Foul by Valentin Eysseric (Nice).

15. 88'

    Post update

    Issam Ben Khemis (Lorient) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

16. 87'

    Booking

    Mario Balotelli (Nice) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.

17. 86'

    Goal!

    Goal! Nice 2, Lorient 1. Mario Balotelli (Nice) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Wylan Cyprien.

18. 85'

    Booking

    Cafú (Lorient) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

19. 85'

    Post update

    Valentin Eysseric (Nice) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

20. 85'

    Post update

    Foul by Cafú (Lorient).

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