A victory at the end of boredom. At the end of the 12th day of Ligue 1, Lens narrowly won against Marseille (1-0). The two teams neutralized each other for a long time, until the Sang et Or’s winning goal, scored by Gradit at the very end of the match. Winners without style, the Lensois move up to sixth place and overtake OM, stuck in a pitiful tenth place.
Between two slow-moving Europeans in the championship, the debates never got carried away, particularly during a first period that was closed and interrupted by mistakes. Certainly, the RCL quickly took control of the game, but the Sang et Or showed too much technical waste as they approached the Marseille cage. Only Danso (18th) and Wahi (28th) were dangerous, but they did not find the target.
Manhandled, OM showed absolutely nothing good offensively until the break. Vitinha, preferred to Aubameyang up front, and his team alternated between clumsiness and bad choices on their rare notable offensives. “We will have to show a completely different state of mind in the second half,” Veretout proclaimed on Prime Video before returning to the locker room.
As desired by the French international, the Marseillais showed more consistency after returning from the locker room. Without being brilliant, very far from it. Gennaro Gattuso’s men were able to rebalance the debates, facing less pressing and quickly blunted Northerners. Harit, much more prominent during the second act, could have made Marseille’s start a reality, but he missed the target on a good serve from Lodi (66th).
OM clearly missed their chance on this great opportunity. Brought out of its lethargy by the coaching of Franck Haise, the RCL offered itself a big highlight at the end of the match. And if Saïd came up short on a save from Veretout in front of the line (88th), Gradit was responsible for freeing Bollaert, deceiving Lopez with a header from a corner just before added time (1-0, 90th).
Beaten at the end of the match and still stuck in the soft underbelly of the standings, Marseille conceded their fourth consecutive defeat away in Ligue 1. Bad news for Olympian supporters, OM will be on the road again after the international break, this time on the Strasbourg lawn.