Ben Arfa scores 2 late penalties as Nice beats Angers 2-1


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PARIS (AP) — Winger Hatem Ben Arfa scored two late penalties as Nice beat second-place Angers 2-1 to move provisionally up to third place in the French league on Friday.

Pushing for a place in France's European Championship squad later this year, Ben Arfa ended a barren run of 10 league games without a goal with two expertly taken spot kicks.

He sent goalkeeper Alexandre Letellier the wrong both times, placing the ball to the right in the 80th minute and stroking it to the left four minutes later to take his league tally to nine this season.

With Angers controlling the first half, Nice goalie Yoan Cardinale brilliantly tipped over a header from Pierrick Capelle in the 14th.

But he was powerless to stop Capelle from opening the scoring 10 minutes later. The winger ran onto an excellent long pass from midfielder Romain Saiss, controlled it with his first touch and then slotted it past Cardinale with his next.

"The first half was very poor, we couldn't get going and gifted them a goal. We were better in the second half, playing higher up the pitch and winning our challenges," Nice coach Claude Puel said. "They are very solid and tough to play against, and we really struggled on set pieces."

Nice has 33 points and is one point behind Angers. Nice leads fourth-place Monaco on goal difference ahead of this weekend's games.

Runaway leader Paris Saint-Germain is 20 points clear of Angers and travels to play Toulouse on Saturday.

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