Ligue 1 – D16 – A solid card against Le Havre (5-1), and Olympique de Marseille regains the status of runner-up alone

Vélodrome supporters are used to seeing Valentin Rongier defend, harass, intercept, stabilize, but they have less opportunity to see Rongier score. However, this Sunday evening, it was he who put his team on the right track. On a full-axis return from Yassine Kechta, the former Nantais player emerged to recover the ball, before opening the scoring with a low strike from 20 meters (1-0, 25th).

In the process, another player trained at Jonelière stood out. Quentin Merlin delivered two assists on the second and third goals of the first period. On the first, he served Bilal Nadir who opened his counter professionally with a cross strike (2-0, 39th). And a few moments later, he put away a cross from Amir Murillo for Neal Maupay who finished with a header (3-0, 43rd).

Ayew applauded

In the second half, the ex-Nice striker could have scored a double twice (48th and 55th), but it was ultimately his replacement Elye Wahi who scored the fourth Marseille goal on an offering from Mason Greenwood ( 4-0, 66th). The French striker was imitated by Ulysses Garcia who participated in the party a minute after coming into play in an almost identical action (5-0, 75th).

With the meeting over, the last minutes gave way to symbols. Young Darryl Bakola, barely 17 years old, made his debut with OM more than 17 years after those of André Ayew. Now a player for the Normandy club, the Ghanaian saved the honor for the HAC by heading ahead of an exit from Geronimo Rulli (5-1, 85th) just before being replaced to the ovation of the Marseille public.