OM will have to do better, much better at the Vélodrome. Reduced to ten after the expulsion of Geoffrey Kondogbia (65th), the Marseillais, generally dominated, finally gave in in the 83rd minute on a goal signed Bernard against Panathinaikos (1-0), this Wednesday, in Athens, in the first leg of their third qualifying round for the Champions League. They will have to win next Tuesday in Marseille to hope to play the final phase of C1. The winner of this double confrontation will face the Portuguese of Braga or the Serbs of Backa Topola in the play-offs.
From the outset, the Marseillais were surprised by the intensity of their opponents on the evening of entry. Kondogbia paid the price by taking a very quick yellow card (3rd). The first period was in any case very poor in play and opportunity: a shot on target, to the credit of Moroccan Azzedine Ounahi just before the break (44th) on a brushed shot well captured by Italian goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli. Marseille did not really show a pleasant face. Apart from a header off target from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (22nd), OM struggled to be threatening and even suffered against a Panathinaikos team who failed to target any of their six attempts.
After the break, the Pana players returned to the intensity installed at the start of the game, but this time with more impact, creating better chances. Just after a double Marseille opportunity with two strikes from Ounahi then Clauss (50th), Sporar was on the verge of opening the scoring when he missed his recovery a few meters from the goal of Pau Lopez (53rd). The striking situations were numerous (without finding the way to the frame) and the locals benefited from Kondogbia’s clumsiness.
The Central African international midfielder was guilty of a late sole on the foot of Djuricic which earned him a second yellow card and therefore a red (65th). A tactical reorganization was necessary with the entry of Valentin Rongier in place of Ounahi, but OM were not going to be able to avoid the last 25 minutes at 10 against 11.
In constant decline after the exclusion of Kondogbia, the Marseillais observed the former Brazilian international Bernard (14 caps, 1 goal) appear on the lawn (71st). If the changes multiplied after the hour mark, Marseille did not stop defending before cracking. Bernard (30) took advantage of the superb serve from Ioannidis, who had also entered a few minutes before, in front of a hesitant Leonardo Balerdi, to crucify Lopez with a cross shot from the right foot that lodged in the small net (1-0 , 83rd). Before thinking of reversing the situation against Panathinaikos, the Olympians have an appointment with the Stade de Reims on Saturday, during the first day of Ligue 1.
