Moving Sala homage as emotional Nantes crumble

Known as the Canaries because of their yellow strip Nantes played in a one-off full black outfit with Sala’s name on the back of each shirt.

Tickets for the game were sold at a symbolic 9 euros in memory of the player’s shirt number, which they have also withdrawn from use.

37,000 fans were on hand to see a giant portrait of Sala displayed in the centre-circle ahead of the game, and a minute’s silence was observed before spilling into rousing applause.

Nantes sold Sala to Premier League club Cardiff during the transfer window but on his way to a new life the player and his pilot crashed into the channel near the British island of Guernsey on January 21.

Nantes’ players had promised to ‘win for Sala’ and goals from Kalifa Coulibaly and Abdul Majeed Waris gave them a 2-0 half-time lead over Nimes, but emotions had worn the home side’s nerves thin and they collapsed to a 4-2 defeat.

Nimes are now 10th while Nantes are 15th just five points clear of the drop zone.

Elsewhere, Radamel Falcao was on target as the 2017 champions Monaco drew 2-2, throwing away the lead twice at Montpellier, to climb to third from bottom.

Later games pitch rock-bottom Guingamp against second from top Lille, Rennes host Saint Etienne and third placed Lyon travel to Nice in the late game.