Nice striker Plea scores hat trick amid Balotelli absence

PARIS (AP) - Alassane Plea showed once more that he can fill in perfectly well for star striker Mario Balotelli, scoring a hat trick as unbeaten French league leader Nice won 4-2 at Metz on Sunday.

Nice was missing Balotelli through injury, but Plea scored for the third time this season when leading the attack in his absence.

The 23-year-old Frenchman displayed great composure with two one-on-one finishes - including a key goal in the 84th minute - as Nice won for the eighth time in 10 games under Swiss coach Lucien Favre, who joined after six seasons with German club Borussia Moenchengladbach.

"It was a very tough match for us," Plea said. "Our strength is that we never give up and we always look to keep scoring."

Midfielder Wylan Cyprien grabbed the fourth goal in injury time with a crisp finish. Nice remains four points clear of Monaco.

Plea put the visitors ahead in the 14th, latching onto a clever pass behind the defense from Ivory Coast midfielder Jean Michael Seri.

It was his second goal of the week, having netted in a 1-0 win away to FC Salzburg in the Europa League on Thursday, and he also grabbed the winner against Nancy last month.

"Plea has extraordinary potential," Favre said. "But it still needs working on."

Goalkeeper Yoan Cardinale gifted Metz an equalizer midway through the first half, spilling striker Mevlut Erdinc's tame shot into the path of Cameroon midfielder Georges Mandjeck.

Plea made it 2-1 from the penalty spot in the 38th but Nice again fell asleep as Metz leveled midway through second half.

Erdinc headed a long ball into the path of Senegalese striker Habib Diallo, who scored just 23 seconds after coming off the bench.

Moments after having a shot saved, Plea made another great run behind the defense and slotted coolly past goalkeeper Thomas Didillon.

Later Sunday, Paris Saint-Germain hosted bitter rival Marseille.

It will be the first match in charge for coach Rudi Garcia, who has hired Thursday by Marseille's new American owner Frank McCourt.

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CAEN 0, SAINT-ETIENNE 2

Forward Henri Saivet and midfielder Jordan Veretout scored their first goals since coming back to France from the Premier League.

Saivet joined Newcastle in January on a five-year contract but made only four league appearances last season and was loaned to Saint-Etienne following Newcastle's relegation to the second tier.

Veretout joined Aston Villa in the summer of 2015 - also on a five-year deal - and is on loan following Villa's relegation.

A reminder for both players of their time in England was the bitterly cold rain in Normandy.

Saivet volleyed home in the 49th and Veretout netted with a powerful drive seven minutes later as Saint-Etienne climbed up to seventh spot.