At the Vélodrome stadium,
Thank you Azzedine Ounahi for this flash of genius, in the midst of boredom. The Olympique de Marseille midfielder sealed his team’s victory on Sunday evening at the Vélodrome against Stade Rennais (2-0) with a magnificent breakthrough into the penalty area. He first collected the ball along the touchline, on the right, before accelerating to dive back into the area, eliminating two defenders with a devastating double contact, and crucifying Steve Mandanda with a powerful strike under the bar (65th).
A high-class goal that he owes to himself, and which above all spiced up this very bland match between two teams in bad shape since the start of the season. Aubameyang had however started this evening like that of Thursday against Ajax Amsterdam (4-3), by scoring a penalty caused by Iliman Ndiaye early in the match (8th). But like every time OM opens the score since the start of the season, what happens next looks like a catch-22, wondering which of the Marseillais would come first to step on the feet of their goalkeeper, Pau Lopez.
“In the first half, the team’s pressing was not good, with fear and fatigue. To be honest, I saw a team very worried, as if they were losing 3-0,” Gennaro Gattuso even said after the match.
Ounahi like his team
Returning from the locker room was little better, even if the coach “liked the way [ses] players returned to the field”, especially well helped by “Rennes which slowed down”. And by the young Christopher Wooh, directly sent off for an uncontrolled tackle on Kondogbia (61st), not content with having already offered the first penalty to the Marseillais (61st). It was less than five minutes later that Ounahi offered us his genius action, after a completely topsy-turvy first half, like his team.
“I think he can do better. He demonstrated his qualities with his goal, but a midfielder must know when and how to play with the ball. Sometimes he risks getting caught up, unbalancing the game. He needs more continuity, he was stopped for a month. His first half was no better for me, his second was better at the technical-tactical level,” noted Gennaro Gattuso, who could have made the same analysis of his entire squad.
“The important thing was to win, whether it was beautiful or ugly”
But his goal allowed OM to win 2-0, the first home victory since October 8. A very important match which is especially part of a series of three at home, there remains the reception of Lyon on Wednesday, and which allows the Olympians to finally move back into the first half of the Ligue 1 ranking. Unlike Stade Rennais , who did not target a single shot in the match, a first this season. OM also owes it to their hinge, Mbemba/Gigot, who repelled all Breton attacks. “It’s important to take this kind of victory where we all suffer together, it builds the character of a team, it is important for the future,” preferred to emphasize the native of Avignon.
For Gattuso, “today the important thing was to win, whether it was beautiful or ugly. It’s the first time this season that we’ve won two games in a row and we shouldn’t wonder if the victory was beautiful or ugly. I prefer to be ugly and win matches like that. We need to move up the rankings. »
Which OM will still have the opportunity to do on Wednesday (9 p.m.) against Olympique Lyonnais, after the match postponed from October 29. In the event of another success, the Marseillais would return to seven points from the podium.