NICE, France (AP) — Nice’s early season promise looks more distant with every game after losing at home to lowly Montpellier 2-1 extended its winless streak to six French league matches on Friday.
After leading Ligue 1 in the early part of the season, the south coast club has fallen away in recent weeks.
Its last league victory was on Jan. 27 and it has slid to fifth place in the table.
Nice’s poor league form was set aside a month ago when it beat Montpellier 4-1 in the French Cup but although it had more shots at goal and more possession it never came close to repeating that victory on Friday.
Montpellier took the lead after nine minutes when a corner kick hit Jean-Clair Todibo and went in his own goal.
Two minutes later, Jérémie Boga headed an equalizer for the home side.
But Teji Savanier got the winner from the penalty spot three minutes before halftime.
The win lifted Montpellier four places into 12th and gave it a huge boost in its fight to avoid relegation.
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