Nice moved back to the top of Ligue 1, but only a point clear of Monaco as they drew 1-1 at 10-man Bastia.
Lucien Favre's men fell behind in the 17th minute when Prince Oniangue cracked the ball home, before equalising through Arnaud Souquet's 33rd-minute header.
Bastia then had Yannick Cahuzac sent off in the 65th minute, but Nice were unable to make their player advantage count and had to settle for a point for a third straight match ahead of Monaco's home clash with Lorient on Sunday.
Les Aiglons, with Mario Balotelli back in their team after suspension, survived an early scare when Souquet's misjudged touch in the box from a Bastia cross in the second minute diverted the ball to Gael Danic, who had an initial shot parried by goalkeeper Walter Benitez and sent his follow-up strike over the bar.
Nice's first real effort on goal came in the 16th minute as Patrick Burner fired wide.
Moments later, Bastia grabbed a deserved lead as Sadio Diallo met a Danic cross with an acrobatic attempt at a finish, the ball fell to debutant Oniangue and he rifled it past Benitez, with the strike taking a slight deflection off Dalbert.
The away side looked to make a swift response and when Alassane Plea chested the ball down and shaped to shoot, an intervention from Bastia's Alexander Djiku almost sent the ball into his own net.
Eleven minutes later, Nice were level as Souquet met Wylan Cyprien's corner with a fine header past Jean-Louis Leca.
Balotelli was subsequently unsuccessful with two attempts on goal, sandwiched between a Diallo header and strike that both went wide.
Those two continued to exchange efforts as the second half got under way.
Three minutes in, the ball came to Balotelli in a promising position but after bringing it down, he saw his prodded shot saved by Leca. Seconds later, Diallo looked to punish sloppy Nice defending and his drive was tipped over by Benitez.
In the 59th minute it was Nice on the attack again as Leca did well to deny Burner from close range, and five minutes later Cahuzac got his marching orders following a late tackle on Cyprien.
Things looked set up for Nice to go on from there and wrap up a victory, but their efforts to turn the screw were fruitless.
In the final 10 minutes, Balotelli was well thwarted by Leca and Plea had the ball in the net, but the flag was up for offside on both occasions.
Having hung on for a point, Francois Ciccolini's Bastia move up from 17th to 15th.