Nice's Europa League campaign hit rock bottom as they suffered a crushing 0-1 defeat to Sporting Braga at the Allianz Riviera, leaving the French side rooted to 36th place without a single point from five matches. The Portuguese visitors, sitting comfortably in 7th with 10 points, arrived knowing victory would strengthen their qualification prospects while Nice desperately needed their first European points of the season.
The decisive moment arrived in the 28th minute when Pau Víctor ghosted into the penalty area to collect Víctor Gómez's precise assist before drilling a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner. The Spanish forward's clinical finish silenced the home crowd and exposed Nice's defensive frailties that have plagued their European campaign. Víctor celebrated with his teammates as Braga took control of a contest they would never relinquish.
The tactical battle saw Braga dominate possession with 62.6% of the ball, systematically dismantling Nice's attempts to build meaningful attacks. Florian Grillitsch and Vítor Carvalho controlled the midfield exchanges, while Nice's Tanguy Ndombélé struggled to impose his influence on proceedings. The visitors' defensive discipline frustrated Nice's attacking trio of Bernard Nguene, Tiago Gouveia, and Isak Jansson throughout.
Despite trailing, Nice managed just three shots on target compared to Braga's four, with goalkeeper Lukáš Hornícek proving instrumental in preserving the lead. The Czech shot-stopper produced a crucial 53rd-minute save to deny Kevin Carlos from close range, then tipped Isak Jansson's effort to safety six minutes later. Nice's 15 shots reflected their desperation but lacked the quality to trouble Hornícek seriously.
The turning point came during a frantic final 10 minutes when Nice threw everything forward in search of an equalizer. Salis Abdul Samed's yellow card for a reckless challenge on Pau Víctor in the 79th minute epitomized the home side's growing frustration as their European dreams continued to fade.
Nice will attempt to rebuild confidence when they host Lens on December 14, desperately needing domestic points to salvage their season. Meanwhile, Braga return to Portugal to face Santa Clara on December 15, with their European qualification hopes looking increasingly promising after this professional away performance.