Eternity is a long time … especially towards the end! For Olympique de Marseille, eternity will have lasted nine years and twenty clashes without the slightest success against its rival, Paris-SG. A dearth that ended at the end of an electric “Clasico” on the lawn, at the conclusion of the third day of Ligue 1, Sunday, September 13, with a 1-0 success.
He certainly missed at this summit the warm atmosphere of the Parc des Princes, the phenomenon Kylian Mbappé, preparation time for PSG, a little rhythm on the ground, but he will keep a special place in Marseille memories.
The meeting ended with the start of a general fight which ended with three exclusions on the Parisian side (Neymar, Paredes, Kurzawa) and two on the Marseille side (Benedetto, Amavi). Neymar, back as holder after having recovered from the coronavirus, has repeatedly denounced the ” racism “ of his Marseille opponent Alvaro Gonzalez.
“My only regret is that I didn’t hit that asshole in the face”Parisian number 10 tweeted in Brazilian one hour after the meeting.
Único arrependimento que tenho é por não ter dado na cara desse babaca
“I didn’t like the result and the last three minutes”, summed up coach Thomas Tuchel. “The match was out of control”, complained the sporting director Leonardo, furious with the arbitration, on the Telefoot channel. In the city center of Marseille, the feat of OM was however greeted by cries of joy and a concert of horns.
This defeat announces the start of the puzzle for PSG, which has just chained three consecutive losses to the score of 1-0, in all competitions (Bayern in the Champions League final, Lens and Marseille in Ligue 1).
Despite the returns as holders of Neymar and Angel di Maria, tested positive for Covid-19 at the beginning of September, the training of the capital is still far from its best level, the fault of a preparation truncated by its course in the Champions League and the pandemic of coronavirus leaving on the flank his scorers Mbappé and Icardi, his captain Marquinhos, and his goalkeeper Navas.
He will have to wait for Metz on Wednesday to hope to start his season, in a very unexpected duel of teams without a single point. Clearly, the start of the 2020-21 fiscal year is confusing at all levels.
Mandanda at the top
The first period of “Clasico” was also surprising: Marseille scored on its only opportunity, during a period of clear domination in Paris. Florian Thauvin took advantage of the elastic marking of the defense to transform, alone at the far post, the free kick of Dimitri Payet (31e, 1-0)
It has been five years since OM had not led to the Parc des Princes. That year, the advantage lasted ten minutes, until a brace from Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought him back to earth. This fl’Om, ois, this goal uninhibited the Marseillais, comforting them in their strategy: defend low and wait for the counter or a set piece, to be decisive.
If Dario Benedetto scored a second goal (62e) canceled for a very questionable offside, Mandanda ensured in the cages that the instructions of “AVB”. The goalkeeper, after two hectic weeks by his hasty departure from the rally of the France team due to a positive Covid-19 test and the ensuing imbroglio with his club, showed that at 35 years old, he was always “Il Fenomeno”, and a guarantee of robustness for the Champions League which will return to the Vélodrome in October.
His saves against Marco Verratti (2e) and Di Maria (57e) were decisive. He also benefited from the clumsiness of Neymar (70e) to keep his cage intact, and sign the second “Clean sheet” of OM against PSG in nine years. OM can also rejoice in the return to the forefront of Thauvin, already author of a goal and two assists two weeks ago in Brest, for his first tenure for fourteen months. The best possible “recruit” for OM!
Before this shock, Rennes had confirmed its good start to the season in the afternoon and had climbed to the top of Ligue 1 by winning in Nîmes (4-2). The Crocodiles were subjected to the law of the new Rennes striker Serhou Guirassy, author of a double.
The former Amiénois first opened the scoring with a beautiful curling shot (12e), served by a deep pass from Raphinha. Then he adjusted Baptiste Reynet at close range (39e), served by Flavien Tait. Combative, the Nîmes responded to him each time, first with a big strike from Andrés Cubas (36e) at the entrance to the surface, then after a patient counter-attack concluded by Zinedine Ferhat (55e).
But Nayef Aguerd scored the winning goal (72e) for the Bretons, the recovery of a free kick, pushing the ball between the legs of Reynet. Bourigeaud sealed the match at the end of added time (90e+7).
Domineering but often clumsy, Lille snatched victory in the last minutes against Metz (1-0) after a lively match at the Pierre-Mauroy Stadium. It was the Brazilian Luiz Araujo, who entered shortly before, who offered success to Losc after a nice collective action (88e).
Les Dogues, who had conceded a draw against Rennes (1-1) in the 1re day, thus won their first victory in front of their home crowd, two weeks after winning in Reims (1-0). However, this will not mask the difficulties of an offensive sector which is still struggling to find its feet after the departures of Victor Osimhen and Loïc Rémy in the off-season.
With only three goals scored in three matches, the Lille attack is still in difficulty, like the Canadian Jonathan David, recruited for 27 million euros this summer and who was still too timid. In contrast, Turkish Burak Yilmaz has shown encouraging progress.
“The second period was better than the first (…) The team evolved better than the first two days but within a few minutes we could have been frustrated”, recognized Christophe Galtier, coach of Losc.
The Mastiffs are in second place in the standings, ahead only on goal difference by Rennes.
At the Stade Louis-II, Monaco mastered the Canaries thanks to the first goals in Ligue 1 of the young people Sofiane Diop and Willem Geubbels, who offered the 1000e victory of club history in the elite. With 7 points, the Monegasques share the top of the standings with Rennes and Lille. Enough to make the program of the 4e day, with a Rennes-Monaco on September 19.
This victory for the men of Niko Kovac, well present on the Monegasque bench ten days after having tested positive for the coronavirus, seemed to take shape quickly. From the 5th minute, on an offensive from Gelson Martins on the right side, Ruben Aguilar centered and the young Sofiane Diop, out of his marking, achieved a good recovery of the right in pivot (1-0, 5e) to score his first goal in L1.
By dint of retreating and failing to score (Ben Yedder strike on the post, 58e), Monaco was scared. The Canaries even logically equalized on a very nice volley from Blas, served by Dennis Appiah and helped by a hand fault from Majecki (1-1, 62e).
But Kovac has offensive weapons on the bench. Upon entry (63e), Henry Onyekuru and willem Geubbels stood out. The first served the second, who, with a nice sharpness, offered a good first (2-1, 65e).
In Lorient, Lens won the duel of the promoted (3-2) with in particular a sumptuous acrobatic return from his rookie Facundo Medina.
The Sang et Or, pumped up after their victory over Paris SG at Bollaert on Thursday, conceded the first goal at Moustoir, by Adrian Grbic (14e). But in three minutes, they regained the advantage, first with a penalty from Gaël Kakuta (31e). And especially by the splendid chisel of Medina (34e), the first goal in L1 of the young Argentinian. Ignatius Ganago, launched alone towards Paul Nardi, finally made the break (63e), making insignificant the penalty scored in stoppage time by Yoanne Wissa (90e+3).
Angers won at home (1-0) against Reims thanks to his striker Stéphane Bahoken, served by an incredible ground pass from Antonin Bobichon (55e). Reims suffered from the exclusion of its defender Wout Faes for a high foot in the box (42e), even if the Champagne goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic stopped the penalty caused by the Belgian.
Finally, Brest garners its first points with its victory (2-0) in Dijon thanks to goals signed Perraud (42e) and the very spectacular Cardona (90e+5). The Dijonnais who finished at ten remain desperately stuck at the bottom of the standings with three defeats in three days.
