Ligue 1 – With character, Marseille offers Nantes (3-2) and consolidates its place as runner-up

It’s Olympique de Marseille as its Vélodrome likes it: boiling. In their legendary lair, Boubacar Kamara’s teammates won with determination against FC Nantes this Wednesday evening, as part of the 33rd day of Ligue 1 (3-2). Captain Dimitri Payet notably scored twice from the penalty spot, while a player trained with the Canaries, Amine Harit gave the victory to the Phocaeans a quarter of an hour from time. This 18th success in Ligue 1 this season allows OM to take a 6-point lead over third place.

2 shots on target and 2 goals for Nantes in the first period

At this very attractive end to the season for the Phocaeans, who can dream of a European title in the Europa League Conference, the players of Jorge Sampaoli obviously had the spirit of the moment, in addition to the support of their volcanic public. They were however surprised on the first Nantes shot on target of the match: on a corner perfectly struck by Wylan Cyprien, Andrei Girotto thus opened the scoring with a superb recovery from the head in the heart of the rectangle (0-1, 26th).

If Dimitri Payet took advantage of a poorly calibrated intervention by Nicolas Pallois on Boubacar Kamara to equalize ten minutes later from the penalty spot (1-1, 39th), the Nantes Canaries almost equalized in stride, with a good recovery from the left of Marcus Coco out of reach of Pau López after a corner (1-2, 41st). 2 shots on target, and therefore 2 goals for Antoine Kombouaré’s men before the break.

Harit, a goal in apotheosis

Largely dominant in the game (up to 80% possession of the ball per hour of play), the Marseillais took advantage of another clumsiness from Nantes to get back into the game. The unfortunate Coco thus missed his sliding tackle in the area on Gerson, which offered a new penalty to Dimitri Payet, still as well converted against a helpless Alban Lafont (2-2, 55th). And the Brazilian international and the Blue and White playmaker were not done.