Olympique de Marseille won by the smallest margin (1-0) against RKC Waalwijk (1st Dutch division) for its third summer preparation friendly match on Thursday, but reassured in the game two weeks before its entry competing in the Champions League. Defeated on Saturday against the Belgians of Eupen (1-0), the Marseillais showed a much better face against the Dutch, 9th in the Eredivisie last season, even if we should not draw too many lessons from these matches of July preparation.
In the pouring rain, the Olympians pressed high and opened the scoring in the 13th minute. Following a high recovery, Pape Gueye, aligned in the axis in support of the new recruit Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, deceived the Dutch goalkeeper Vaessen, after a good combination between “Aubame” and Ounahi. Dominating throughout the game despite many changes in the second half, the Marseillais could have doubled the lead, but repeatedly came up against the Waalwijk goalkeeper.
Arrived Monday from Watford, Ismaïla Sarr made his debut with OM. Aligned on the right of Marcelino’s 4-2-3-1, the Senegalese international was restless but was no more successful than his attacking partners in front of goal. In defence, OM were hardly bothered by the Dutch. But the Waalwijk players could have equalized in the 83rd minute without a good outing from young Marseille goalkeeper Van Neck at the feet of their striker. The Marseillais will complete their preparation at the Vélodrome stadium against Bayer Leverkusen on August 2, before facing the winner of Dnipro-Panathinaikos in the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League on August 8/9 (go) and August 15 (return to Velodrome stadium).