Nice will be more dangerous with Gouiri – Patrick Vieira

OGC Nice manager and former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira believes his club will be more dangerous in subsequent Ligue 1 games with the help of Amine Gouiri.

The 20-year-old officially opened his account for Les Aiglons in a 2-1 win over newly-promoted RC Lens on Sunday. The French Riviera side started from behind after former Chelsea winger and DR Congo international Gael Kakuta gave Lens the lead in the 11th minute from the penalty spot before Gouiri first equalised in the 23rd minute and then bagged the winner with 15 minutes left on the clock.

Gouiri became the youngest-ever Nice player to score a brace on his debut in 70 seasons and the first of any Nice player to do so since Mario Balotelli did vs his former club Marseille on September 11, 2016.

All of these have led Vieira into asserting how important Gouriri will be in the games to come especially his partnership with Danish forward Kasper Dolberg.

“Amine confirmed what he's shown since he arrived here. He's ambitious, wants to improve and gives himself the means to succeed,” Vieira said on the club website.

“His work paid off. He's not a winger who's going to stay wide. He likes to get on the ball and play between the lines. His relationship with Kasper [Dolberg] is important for us, even if it didn't work. They speak the same language. We'll be more dangerous in the coming games."

Lens boss Franck Haise did not pay too much attention to the defeat but was simply happy to be playing top-flight football. He explained why Ivorian forward Seko Fofona and Mali and former Newcastle United left-back Massadio Haidara were absent from the tie.

“I didn't think too much about this premiere. A few months ago, I was a coach in National 2 and today I’m in Ligue 1. I am lucky to be at the top level in a club like Lens. With the staff we work every day to best support the players,” Haise said.

“Seko Fofana had a little muscle alert at the end of the last workout. We did not want to rush his return. Massadio Haidara had post-session discomfort. We saw a little something on the ultrasound, not very bad. It required a few days of rest."