The flattering result (3-1) does not tell the whole story of a match where OM, far from being flamboyant, sometimes played at scaring each other. For their baptism of fire in the new Europa League Conference, a sort of 3rd European division, the Marseillais take an option on qualification for the round of 16 thanks in particular to a double from their Pole Arkadiusz Milik. But the event was elsewhere with the tenure in the Marseille cage of Steve Mandanda supplanted this season by the Spaniard Pau Lopez. Credited with a two-goal lead, Marseille, who won 2 straight matches in European competition for the first time since April 2018 (in the quarter return and a half first leg of the Europa League), will now have to finish the job on February 24 in Azerbaijan .
What you must remember
In a first act, rather to the advantage of the Azerbaijanis, led by the former player of Lens, Istres and Grenoble, Abdellah Zoubir, Steve Mandanda is illustrated first by diverting the shot from Zoubir (9th). Reversed in the Europa League Conference after their third group place in the Europa League, OM came out of their shell a bit on a strike from Milik (14th), then from Kamara (20th). Jorge Sampaoli’s players finally take shelter from the inevitable Milik. Just before the break, the Pole opened the scoring on a ball that trailed in the Qarabag area (41st), then on a cold-blooded action (44th). In the second half, Mandanda was first supplemented by his right post on a strike from Ozobic (50th), before performing a magnificent save in front of Ibrahima Wadji (65th). On the other hand, he can do nothing on a close range recovery from Kady (85th). Entering the game in the 68th minute in place of Milik, Dimitri Payet breathes new life into the Provençaux by scoring the third goal in stoppage time (90th + 2).
Player: Steve Mandanda
Against Qarabag, Steve Mandanda played his eighth game of the season. Since January 2 and a final exit (3-0) against Chauvigny (N3) in the Coupe de France, the former goalkeeper of the Blues was condemned to the bench of substitutes. Indeed, the OM coach prefers Pau Lopez, the Spanish goalkeeper. At 36 years old, he was probably the best Marseille player in delaying the deadline for a long time until the 85th minute. Incidentally, the world champion has become the most capped player in the European Cup with the same French club (94 appearances). He equals Grégory Coupet with Lyon.
The number: 16
Scored twice, Arkadiusz Milik scored his 15th and 16th goals of the season in all competitions. In detail, the Pole has thus scored 5 goals in Ligue 1, 5 in the Coupe de France, 4 in the Europa League to which are added the two of this Thursday evening in the Europa League Conference. He is obviously OM’s best director this season. Milik has clearly regained his great form and the thread of his season. But his exit, face closed and a big kick in a bottle that passed by, also came to confirm that his agreement with Sampaoli remained quite fresh.