An early goal from the Brazilian (8th) launched OM to their fifth success in six Ligue 1 matches, taking their total points to 16. In the standings, Igor Tudor’s men overtake Paris SG and Lens before their trips respectively in Nantes, in the evening, and in Reims, on Sunday.
Beyond the accounting success, the Croatian technician can be satisfied with the content produced in a full and noisy Abbé-Deschamps stadium, with a festive atmosphere far removed from the brief but violent scuffles that occurred earlier around the stadium.
His team, largely overhauled, lit several twigs in front of Benoît Costil’s cage and mastered the tempo of the game in large widths, without getting too scared in defense.
The returned copy can offer a surplus of insurance before the dizzying sequence against Lille, Frankfurt and Rennes, launched on Wednesday by the maiden trip to the Champions League in London to face Tottenham, the fiercest rival of the Phocaeans in the group stage.
In anticipation of such a dense fortnight to come, Tudor proceeded to a large rotation compared to the victorious team of Clermont (1-1) on Wednesday, giving pride of place to summer recruits (Clauss, Kaboré, Mbemba, Veretout and Suarez), and in which Dimitri Payet, injured, could not hold his place.
– Sanchez substitute and goalscorer –
The choices of the Croatian coach have notably benefited the young right-back Issa Kaboré (21), tenured for the first time. The Burkinabè on loan from Manchester City did not succeed in everything, he even took a big breather from Sead Kolasinac in the second half, but he had the merit, among other things, of starting the action on the opener.
Upon receiving his pass, Cendiz Under hooked a defender and shot the post. The ball returned to Gerson, whose recovery hit home (8th, 1-0).
The Brazilian midfielder, recently returned from injury, was inspired and moving before his outing, frankly sulky, on the hour mark. The former Flamengo would have liked to enjoy the sunny lawn of Auxerre longer. He scored his first goal of the season there and delighted with his hooks, his deviations in the heel or the outside of the foot.
Less visible after the break, he gave way to the hour mark at a time when the pressure from AJA was more threatening. The game was indeed balanced after the break, with clear chances on both sides.
Paul Joly’s header heated the gloves of Pau Lopez (66th), a minute before Costil was threatened by incoming Nuno Tavares and Alexis Sanchez: the first shot hard at the goalkeeper’s post, which diverted with the foot the resumption of the second (67th).
The former Bordeaux goalkeeper, solid on a pivot shot from Luis Suarez (75th), could do nothing about the second goal, a three-way movement initiated by Amine Harit, extended by Mattéo Guendouzi and concluded with a flat foot by Sanchez (2-0, 84th), came into play in the second half.
The Chilean striker, who scored his third goal with OM, has adapted well to his new colours. Unfortunately, he is suspended for Wednesday’s clash against Hugo Lloris’ Spurs.
