Nice 1-2 Basel (aet, agg: 3-4): Nuhu heads visitors' extra-time winner

Defender Kasim Nuhu's header in extra time took Basel into the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League as Nice failed to build on a frenzied start in France.

Match in brief: Nice denied at home

Gaëtan Laborde after putting Nice aheadUEFA via Getty Images

Hicham Bouadoui had already had an effort ruled out for offside before Gaëtan Laborde fired the hosts into a tenth-minute lead, with the help of a deflection off Nice-born Basel left-back Andy Pelmard. Nice looked set to overwhelm their guests, but Basel did enough to deny their hosts a second goal and ultimately staked their campaign on their ability to turn up the heat in the final 15 minutes.

It proved to be a canny plan as substitute Jean-Kévin Augustin smashed an equaliser past Kasper Schmeichel with four minutes left. They might have won the game inside 90 minutes, Schmeichel forced to save from Dan Ndoye before Zeki Amdouni produced a shot that smacked into the outside of the post.

However, the momentum was with Basel in extra time, and in the first period Kasim Nuhu headed in off the inside of the post after meeting Darian Males' swirling ball from the left. Nice tried to respond, but the closest they came was a Billal Brahimi free-kick that cleared the wall but glanced the top of the bar on its way out of play.

Andrew Scott, match reporter

What a recovery from Basel, who looked all out of ideas until they grabbed a late equaliser to force extra time, where Nuhu's towering header settled the tie. It is not their first memorable comeback in this season's competition – they memorably eliminated Slovan Bratislava on penalties after overturning a 2-0 deficit – and they march on to the semi-finals. Nice, meanwhile, will be desperately frustrated at letting their advantage slip. They were in complete control of the game for so long and a failure to add to their lead cost them dear.

Nice coach Didier Digard watches from the sidelinesAFP via Getty Images

Reaction 

Kasim Nuhu, Basel defender, speaking to UEFA.com: "[Scoring the winner] was a really important moment for me. We have this belief. In Bratislava, it was the same situation. We were losing 2-0, came back to draw and then we won on penalties, so I think after we went 1-0 down we had this confidence and belief that we were definitely going to get back into the game."

Andy Diouf, Basel forward, speaking to UEFA.com: "It's madness. We went through just about every emotion. Nice prevented us from playing at the start but we knew spaces would open up as the game went on and that we would have chances. Before the match we knew that with a victory we could make history for Basel. We were aware of that and we gave everything to achieve it."

Didier Digard, Nice coach, speaking to UEFA.com: "It is really difficult when you come so close and you have the victory in your hands. Unfortunately, that's football. We had an opponent who kept believing right to the end and we conceded at a bad time."

Dante, Nice captain, speaking to UEFA.com: "It's a massive disappointment, of course. It hurts all the players so much because we wanted to give joy to the club and to our supporters, to the people who were dreaming of going to a final. Disappointment is one thing, but a real competitor will turn that disappointment into energy, work even harder and give our all until the end of the season."

Jean-Kévin Augustin (right) celebrates levelling for BaselAFP via Getty Images

Key stats

• Basel have made it to the semi-finals of a major UEFA competition for a second time having lost to Chelsea in the 2012/13 Europa League last four.
• Basel's victory tonight was their first in seven UEFA away games against French opposition (D2 L4).
• The Swiss side have scored two or more goals in eight of their last nine UEFA Europa Conference League matches, and exactly two in each of their last five.
• This was Basel's 32nd match in all rounds of the UEFA Europa Conference League – a competition record.
• Nice are now without a win in their last six matches in all competitions (D3 L3). They have missed out on what would have been a first ever UEFA semi-final.

Line-ups

Nice: Schmeichel; Ndayishimiye (Belahyane 114), Todibo, Dante; Mendy (Rosario 73), Ramsey, Boudaoui (Brahimi 87), Thuram, Bard (Amraoui 73); Laborde, Moffi (Pépé 73)

Basel: Hitz; Lang, Nuhu, Pelmard; Ndoye (Fink 120+1), Diouf, Xhaka (Essiam 106), Burger (Augustin 72), Millar (Calafiori 72); Amdouni, Zeqiri (Males 83)