The match: 2-0
Barely a month ago, on February 18, it was a moribund and worrying OM who lost on the Brest pitch (1-0), leading to the dismissal of their coach Gennaro Gattuso. 21 days later, this team was literally transformed under the leadership of Jean-Louis Gasset who gave it new life. This Sunday evening, against Nantes, the Marseillais, who beat Villarreal (4-0) on Thursday in the Europa League, appeared a little blunted but nevertheless they managed to achieve a fifth success in a row in all competitions (2-0) .
Well served by Ismaïla Sarr and taking advantage of a disagreement between Alban Lafont and Eray Cömert, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring in the 17th minute. The Olympian striker, who did not have many opportunities to show himself during this game, did it again at the end of the match launched by Geoffrey Kondogbia to beat Lafont again in two stages (79th). Between the two achievements of “PEA” the Phocéens suffered, the Canaries trying by all means to come back to the score.
But Jocelyn Gourvennec’s men were too clumsy in the face of Pau Lopez’s goal like Cozza (3rd), Sissoko (45th), Castelletto (60th) or even Simon (68th), not really on a great evening. The Nantes residents also claimed two penalties (36th, 50th) which neither the referee nor the VAR awarded them. “It wasn’t an easy match, we knew how to stay solid, we didn’t play great football but we have to know how to take it, analyzed Marseille midfielder Jordan Veretout, formerly of FC Nantes, at the microphone of Prime. We will retain victory. We will try to continue with the victories, it feels good. »
OM is indeed getting closer to the qualifying places for Europe. Sixth place, occupied by Nice, is only one point away, while fourth place, where Lille is located, which drew with Rennes (2-2) a little earlier in the evening, n It’s just three points away. But to continue to believe in it, they will have to be equally inspired during the next meetings which hold confrontations against Rennes, PSG, Lille and Nice.
The player: Aubameyang jumps for joy
Like Jonathan David with Lille against Rennes (2-2), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also scored a double with OM after scoring two goals in the European Cup on Thursday. The Gabonese international is one of the architects of the good period that Olympique de Marseille is currently going through. It’s simple: he scored in the five matches managed by Jean-Louis Gasset. There are eight achievements under the Gasset era. If he did not achieve everything this Sunday evening, he had the merit of being clinical before giving way to Faris Moumbagna (83rd) not without having celebrated this new double with a nice front somersault.
19
Marseille have not lost any of their 19 home matches in all competitions in 2023/24 (13 wins, 6 draws). The Olympians had not started a season with such a long invincibility on home soil since 1998/99, when they did not lose in any of their 24 receptions. (Opta)