Lacking in attack and spontaneity, OM did not manage to do better than a draw against Lille, despite an hour at eleven against ten, after the expulsion of André (32nd). Praised for their defensive qualities lately, Jorge Sampaoli’s team, led from the 15th minute on a goal by Botman, even ran after the score before finally finding the net.
With only one victory in six outings, OM are treading water in their Vélodrome stadium, almost deserted due to the capacity of 5,000 spectators this Sunday evening. Still handsome 3rd in Ligue 1, two points behind Nice, Marseille misses the opportunity to distance itself from Lille, potential direct competitor which looks more and more like last season’s champion LOSC and remains a series of eight games without defeat .
“We saw content, we have to work,” Sampaoli told Prime Video. To win, we have to be superior…” “In the 2nd half, we came back well, we missed it a little bit to win this match, said defender William Saliba. Even at 10, they defended well, they know how to endure, it’s a Champions League team. We lacked efficiency in front of goal. »
Ünder still goalscorer
The Vélodrome clock has not yet marked the quarter of an hour of play that Pau Lopez, the Marseille goalkeeper, must first deflect Yilmaz’s shot on target with a tap. On the corner following the action, Botman, the young Lille central defender, emerges and opens the scoring with an uncrossed header (0-1, 15th).
Less than five minutes later, Yilmaz was close to doubling the lead. Upon receiving a center from the right from Renato Sanches at the far post, King Burak saw his powerful diving header at close range miraculously pushed back by the thigh of Pau Lopez (22nd). Before the break, the Spanish goalkeeper still saves his team by intervening on a heavy shot from the left foot of Bamba (43rd).
Superior in possession but not in creation, the Phocaeans proceed by set pieces. Off-center on the left side, Payet fires a nice inbound free kick that Grbic sends for a corner (29th). A little short of solutions, OM finds an unexpected ally in the person of Mr. Delerue. Benjamin André, already warned for a harmless challenge (30th), is excluded following a second yellow card for an intervention deemed excessive on Guendouzi (32nd).
After the break, by force of circumstance, the pressure from the Sampaoli players was stronger on the Grbic goal, while Lille, outnumbered, cornered on their goal, struggled to get some air. Until the hour mark, Payet, Guendouzi, Ünder, Milik and others push but without creating a real opportunity to equalize. As an admission of helplessness, Gerson, struggling with Celik in the northern area, collapses and claims a penalty. Finally, Rongier, then Milik immediately after, each manage to frame a shot on the goal of Grbic (74th).
In the end, OM’s salvation came from Ünder whose curling shot with his right foot, from the left of the Lille area, Payet style, hit the mark (1-1, 75th). Celebrated at the Vélodrome by a giant tifo for having sealed OM’s historic victory in Bordeaux last week, the Turkish winger, six goals this season and scorer in the last three games, continues to grow in importance in the Marseilles environment.
Despite a missile from Gerson close to the post (80th) and ten shots from Marseille in the second half against none from Lille, the Marseillais returned with a point. Insufficient in terms of their ambitions.