Goals: Guessand (7e), For (51e)
The false suspense will not even have lasted 24 hours. The draw of PSG against Reims had opened a very small breach in the race for the title of champion of France on Saturday. OM, however, extinguished the hopes of the most extreme optimists by breaking their teeth on its Nice neighbor (2-0). The men of Roberto de Zerbi, however so often shiny outside, did not break the padlock of the Allianz Arena, where the gym is still undefeated in the league (six victories, three dummies). Worse, they were dominated in intensity and commitment by determined Aiglons to restore their coat of arms.
Guess who ?
Franck Haise’s eleven seemed to be much more convincing on paper than the one who had miserably woven (again) against Elfsborg on Thursday. The first minutes confirmed it. Conquerors, the Aiglons put opposing defense under pressure and forced Quentin Merlin to a return in extremis to Evann Guessand (3e). The Olympian rearguard did not last long: the pressing of Guessand on Lilian Brassier, in great difficulty, borne fruit and the Nice attacker won his face-to-face by pricking the ball just at- top of Geronimo Rulli (1-0, 7e). A ninth goal in the championship, already, who situates him right behind Mason Greenwood (12), Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé and Jonathan David (11). On a defensively thread, OM was able to count on its captain Leonardo Balerdi to cut the center of Ali Abdi while Mohamed-Ali Cho was already put the ball at the bottom (23e), and on Rulli to oppose Jonathan Clauss (43e). Gaëtan Laborde even allowed himself to try a return, inspired but not framed (36e).
Marseille did not know how to respond in the commitment (60% duels won by Nice), and could not count on an individual feat to get the head out of the water. Mason Greenwood (15e) and Adrien Rabiot (18e) Cader, but without worrying Marcin Bulka. No more success on the stopped phases, despite a succession of three corners which has done more harm to the Arcade de Balerdi, in blood, than in the Riviera Defense. The Bulka gloves ended up warm up in front of Quentin Merlin and Valentin Rongier (40e), but it was the bad choice of the lateral that has mainly skipped the eyes since Greenwood demanded the ball in the ideal position.
Cho ahead!
Specialist in lifts (10 scraped points having conceded the opening of the scoring this season), OM has complicated its task again, this time on a school action: the pass of Guessand in the interval Arrived to Cho and number 25 hit the bull’s eye with a terribly effective crossed shot (2-0, 51e). Bulka has preserved this precious advantage by stopping the recovery of Rabiot on its line (55e), just to accentuate doubt in the Marseille skulls. Once is not customary, no lightnings from Greenwood to get out of the quagmire. The Englishman managed to put himself in the striking position on his left foot, but sent the ball above (59e) or was countered (69e). The changes made by Roberto de Zerbi did not really upset the balance of power, and it even took the firm hand of Geronimo Rulli to avoid the debacle in front of the Guessand poison (74e). Despite the efforts of Balerdi, one of the few to give satisfaction on the day of his 26e Anniversary, OM is now ten points behind PSG. In retro, however, the threat is approaching since Monaco returns to three lengths, and Nice to four. Just what it took to spice up Olympico next Sunday …
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“May rats hunt begin”: the banner of bad taste of Nice ultra
