Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 General view of a tribute inside the stadium in memory of Emiliano Sala REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
PARIS (Reuters) - Nantes paid a final tribute to former striker Emiliano Sala in a 4-2 home defeat against Nimes in Ligue 1 on Sunday, three days after the Argentine was confirmed dead in a plane crash.
Sala, 28, had been flying from Nantes in western France to Wales on Jan. 21 to make his debut for Premier League team Cardiff City when the single-engined Piper Malibu aircraft disappeared over the sea.
There was a minute of applause before kickoff and a representative from Cardiff City came to La Beaujoire Stadium to hand the French club a shirt from the Welsh side.
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 General view of fans looking at tributes left outside the stadium in memory of Emiliano Sala REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
La Beaujoire was at capacity after tickets were sold for nine euros (7.88 pounds) in reference to Sala's shirt number.
Fans also chanted a song in memory of Sala in the ninth minute of the game.
Nantes took control of the match in the first half, opening a two-goal lead after a goal by Kalifa Coulibaly and a Majeed Waris penalty. However, Nimes fought back after the break and prevailed thanks to goals by Baptiste Guillaume, Antonin Bobichon, Jordan Ferri and Sada Tihoub.
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 General view of fans looking at tributes left outside the stadium in memory of Emiliano Sala REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
The result left the Canaries in 15th place with 24 points from 23 matches, five points above the relegation zone.
Elsewhere, Monaco thought they were snatching their second win in two league games under returning coach Leonardo Jardim, but Andy Delort's stoppage-time penalty salvaged a 2-2 home draw for Montpellier at home.
Gaetan Laborde had cancelled out Gelson Martins's opener before Radamel Falcao had put the visitors ahead from close range in the 85th minute.
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 General view of fans looking at tributes left outside the stadium in memory of Emiliano Sala REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
Monaco are 18th on 19 points.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 FC Nantes and Nimes Olympique players applaud as a tribute in memory of Emiliano Sala REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 A fan holds a shirt in memory of Emiliano Sala inside the stadium REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 Fans hold a banner as a tribute in memory of Emiliano Sala inside the stadium REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 FC Nantes players form a huddle REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 FC Nantes players replace the names on their shirts in memory of Emiliano Sala REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 General view of a tribute on the big screen inside the stadium in memory of Emiliano Sala REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 FC Nantes' Nicolas Pallois in action with Nimes' Baptiste Guillaume REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 FC Nantes' Kalifa Coulibaly celebrates scoring their first goal with Lucas Lima REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 Nimes' Antonin Bobichon celebrates scoring their second goal with team mates REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 Nimes' Jordan Ferri celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - FC Nantes v Nimes Olympique - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - February 10, 2019 FC Nantes' Ciprian Tatarusanu applauds fans after the match REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
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