Despite opening the score outnumbered, OM were caught by Messins (1-1) at the opening of the 21st day of Ligue 1. A result which did not satisfy the supporters, who accompanied the players with a flinched.
Marseille is still losing its feathers. A week after their setback at the Olympico against Lyon (0-1), the Marseillais were held in check by the Messins at the Vélodrome at the opening of the 21st day of Ligue 1 (1-1). Outnumbered for an hour, OM lost precious points in the European Cup, enough to provoke the Vélodrome’s reaction.
>> Relive Marseille-Metz
An imprecise OM
In a special atmosphere, marked by several banners from Marseille supporters against the leaders, OM sought to revive after three draws and a defeat in the last five matches. Without Murillo, Kondogbia, Rongier, Pape Gueye or Nadir, Gennaro Gattuso’s men had a good start to the match by being offensive in front of Alexandre Oukidja’s goals.
The Metz goalkeeper was decisive in the first half hour, repelling attempts from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Azzedine Ounahi in turn. Imprecise in the last gesture, the Marseillais complicated their task in the last quarter of an hour of the first period, with the expulsion of Samuel Gigot, guilty of a tackle on Mikautadze in the position of last defender.
The decisive recruits
Returning from the locker room, OM were finally rewarded for their efforts thanks to their recruits. If Aubameyang came up against Oukidja again, Faris Moumbagna scored his first goal with Marseille on a cross from Quentin Merlin (1-0, 56th). A short-lived happiness, since Matthieu Udol leveled the score by equalizing with a header five minutes later (1-1, 61st).
Despite possession and the best chances, the Phocaeans were unable to take advantage of it to snatch a victory which would have allowed them to move closer to European places. With 30 points and a 7th place, OM remains two points behind Lens, who can take off on Saturday in the event of success against Strasbourg (5 p.m.). At the bottom of the standings, this draw in numerical superiority does not help the Lorraines, in search of a victory since November 26. Metz is always a play-off before the weekend matches.