Marseille defeats Monaco and climbs on the podium

Marseille continues its frantic pace in Ligue 1 and titillates Paris SG in the standings after its victory (2-1) over Monaco on Saturday December 12, while Montpellier relaunched in the race for European places by going to win (3-2) in Lens.

Paradoxically, Europe seems to be smiling at Olympique de Marseille this season. If the Phocéens, eliminated, suffered this week a fifth setback in six Champions League games, OM had always won in the following match in the league. Without departing from this habit, but with some difficulties, the Marseillais won against AS Monaco (2-1), Saturday, December 12, during this first shock of the 14^e Ligue 1 day, between the 4^e and the 5^e in the ranking.

At home and without their playmaker Dimitri Payet, or their coach André Villas-Boas, suspended, the Olympians quickly took the lead during an open start to the game, which saw the Monegasque Wissam Ben Yedder missed the unmissable from the first minute of play, upon receiving a cross in the penalty area.

Moments later, at the 5^e minute, the Argentinian Dario Benedetto faked a strike to finally cross and find the head of Florian Thauvin, in ambush, who thus scored his fifth goal since the start of the season.

By reversing the roles, the winger quickly got out of the Monegasque marking to roll up his center and serve the Argentinian center forward at the limit of offside, who only had to deceive Mannone with a flat foot under the crossbar. Then forced to discover each other, after barely a quarter of an hour of play, the players of the Rock obtained several clear chances before the break, all repelled by the firm hand of Mandanda (29^e, 33^e).

After this first unbridled act, the Marseillais temporized to preserve their advantage in the second period, the Monegasques, dominating, showing themselves in lack of inspiration and technical accuracy in the long game. They nevertheless reduced the score thanks to a penalty from Wissam Ben Yedder at the end of the game (2-1, 79^e), but could not do better against the Phocaeans entrenched in their half of the field until the final whistle.

With this success, the sixth in a row in the league, Marseille temporarily seizes second place in the standings, before the matches of Lille against Bordeaux and Paris against Lyon on Sunday. “It’s an important victory against a direct opponent [au podium] “, noted the Marseille coach after the meeting, welcoming the ” strength of character “ of his group.

Monaco, for its part, stalls once again after having already lost last weekend in Lille. “We had a great opportunity straight away with Wissam (Ben Yedder). The match could have turned in our favor. But then we lose some easy balls and that makes two shots and two goals ”, deplored Niko Kovač, the Monegasque technician, while assuring that his team ” was the best ”.

• Montpellier wins in Lens

Montpellier recorded a precious success on the lawn of Lens (3-2) which allows it to catch up with the leading pack after a very pleasant meeting of the 14^e Ligue 1 day. A week after their defeat at La Mosson against Paris SG (1-3), the Hérault residents resumed their march forward on Bollaert’s lawn and confirmed their ambitions in the fight for European places.

With this fourth away victory in a row, Michel Der Zakarian’s players move up to fifth place with 26 points, one and two lengths behind Marseille and Paris, the first two, respectively.

The Artésiens, who remained on a nice success in Rennes, keep their eighth place with 21 units on the clock after missing a great opportunity to get closer to the podium.

Montpellier demonstrated efficiency by opening the scoring: after a relaunch countered by Loïc Badé, Andy Delort delivered a subtle cross from the outside of the foot for Mavididi, who scored with a header (0-1, 16^e). And while the Lensois were trying to react, the Montpellier residents hit the nail on the head: on a free kick from Téji Savanier, Jean-Louis Leca missed his release with his fists and the ball bounced off Mendes’ knee, quite happy to overtake the bet (0-2, 26^e).

Disoriented, the Blood and Gold, which were exceptionally evolving in black and green in honor of Saint Barbara, patron saint of minors, then enjoyed a lot of success: served in front of the surface, Fofana unleashed a powerful strike which ‘crush on the right post, before bouncing off the back of Hérault goalkeeper Omlin (1-2, 36^e). Reinvigorated, RCL pushed to equalize. Finally, the Artésiens succeeded shortly after the break on a penalty obtained by Fofana and transformed by Kakuta (2-2, 50^e).

The MHSC ended up waking up and Laborde put Leca to work on a stung head (63^e). The second attempt was the right one for the Occitan striker, who gave the Hérault people back the advantage by taking again, still of the head, a corner of Florent Mollet (2-3, 69^e).