OGC NICE
vs
Ligue 1 McDonald's • Journée 16 WEEKEND OF JANUARY 15-17, 2027 ALLIANZ RIVIERA
Founded in 1884, Le Havre Athletic Club was originally, much like Le Gym in Nice, a multi-sports club based in the city of Le Havre before specialising in football.
HAC returned to the top flight for the 2023-24 season after 15 years of stability in Ligue 2 BKT. During the 2022-23 campaign, the club went on a remarkable 32-match unbeaten run, equalling the record for the longest unbeaten streak in the division, previously set by CS Sedan with the same total.
Those impressive performances helped Le Havre secure their sixth Ligue 2 title, thanks in particular to an outstanding defensive record, with just 19 goals conceded over the entire season.
In a crucial match in the battle to stay up, OGC Nice and Le Havre shared the points at the Allianz Riviera (1-1). Les Aiglons were under pressure from the Normandy side for long spells and were kept in the game on several occasions by an inspired Yehvann Diouf, before Ally Samatta opened the scoring shortly before half-time. Having struggled to create much going forward in the first half, Claude Puel’s men showed a very different side after the break, pushing higher up the pitch and spending more time in Le Havre territory. After a Jonathan Clauss free-kick was only partially cleared, Ali Abdi took advantage of a scramble in the box to bring the two sides level. Buoyed by the equaliser, the Rouge et Noir then took control of proceedings and created several good opportunities through Sofiane Diop, Jo’ Clauss and Kevin Carlos, the latter going close in stoppage time, but they were unable to find a winner. Battling until the final whistle, Nice nevertheless secured an important point that allowed them to maintain a valuable cushion above the relegation zone with five matches remaining in the season.
In the last 10 meetings with Le Havre AC in Ligue 1, OGC Nice have recorded 3 wins, 2 draws and 5 defeats, scoring 11 goals and conceding 14.
The founding date of Le Havre AC remains a subject of debate among historians. Nevertheless, the year 1872 proudly appears on the club crest, reinforcing HAC’s status as the oldest football club in France. According to the legend, the sky blue and navy colours of the club’s shirt can be traced back to the British roots of its founders. In 1836, a Cambridge University rower is said to have tied a light blue ribbon to the bow of his boat. In response, their Oxford University rivals, whom they face each year in the famous rowing race, adopted navy blue. Those two colours remain those of Le Havre AC to this day, symbolising a compromise between the club’s founders, who are said to have been two British university students.
The Stade Océane has a capacity of 25,180, while the distance between the stadium and the Allianz Riviera is 838 km as Mèfi flies !
An error has occurred
Our platform is currently experiencing a trouble, we apologize for the inconvenience caused and invite you to come back later.
