Ligue 1 – 27th day: OM lose at home to Monaco (0-1)

OM were again surprised at home and clearly marked time. Monaco came to win at the Stade Vélodrome on Sunday, at the end of the 27th day (0-1). If the Phocaeans developed a good attacking game in the first period, they lacked realism and were punished by more effective Monegasques after the break. Gelson Martins scored the only goal of the game (58th) and allows the Rock club (8th) to stay in the race for Europe. OM are third, behind Nice.

Hardly in their last matches, the two teams were well aware of the importance of this poster and put a lot of pace at the start. However, it was the Marseillais who took the lead thanks to their constant pressing. They also used the ball effectively, with plenty of movement initiated by highly mobile playmaker Dimitri Payet. Aligned in attack with Arkadiusz Milik, Cédric Bakambu also increased his movements, while the Pole evolved more as a fulcrum.

Just as stirring, Mattéo Guendouzi was the first to solicit Alexander Nübel with a low axial strike (14th). Valentin Rongier did the same with a powerful shot that the German goalkeeper repelled by diving to his left (22nd). Still in front of the ASM area, Payet shot just over the target (27th) while Monaco could not manage to raise at all. However, the visitors almost surprised the Olympian defense shortly before the break when Jean Lucas, launched slightly to the right, went to deceive Pau Lopez. His goal was however disallowed for a very slight offside (42nd).

Monaco more accurate

Very rigorous and reactive in defense during the first period, with Axel Disasi and Benoît Badiashille impeccable in the hinge, the Monegasques began the second act with much more offensive drive. They put pressure on the opposition rear guard by playing fast on the sides thanks to fast transmissions. Vanderson has shown himself a lot on the right by combining with Wissam Ben Yedder. Much more prominent than before the break, the former Sevillian also struggled in the axis and subtly launched his friend Kevin Volland into the zone of truth. The German shot at the post, but Martins followed to score and was not offside at all, as confirmed by VAR (0-1, 58th).

OM tried to equalize as quickly as possible and the pace of the match went up a notch, with the ball flying from one surface to another. Bakambu’s header, however, went wide of the frame (62′). His replacement Bamba Dieng, who scored twice in the first leg (0-2), also missed the target on his return after a corner (76th). Despite all their efforts, 10 corners obtained and a total of 13 shots, the Phocaeans only scored twice. One less than the ASM, which however only fired 5 attempts.

Jorge Sampaoli’s men also lacked freshness in the last quarter of an hour and it was their opponents who finished better. Youssouf Fofana almost made the break with a powerful shot in front of the Olympian area (83rd). Beaten on the wire in front of Reims during the previous day (1-2) then eliminated by Nantes in the semi-final of the Coupe de France (2-2, 4-2 pens), Monaco is moving forward. OM, for their part, suffered a second consecutive loss at home after that against Clermont (0-2) in addition to a disappointing draw in Troyes (1-1). Sampaoli still hasn’t found the right formula.