Wednesday, 27 July, 2011

Trophée des Champions

Grand Stade de Tangiers, Tangiers, Morocco

LOSC Lille Métropole - Olympique de Marseille: 4 - 5

French football fans could hardly have hoped for a more dramatic, promising and attacking start to the 2011-12 season as Ligue 1 champions Lille and Coupe de la Ligue winners Marseille locked horns in a goal storm Tangiers' Grand Stade on Wednesday night.

With an incredible five goals, two of which were penalties, and a sending off for LOSC's Aurélien Chedjou coming after the 85th minute, it was edge-of-the-seat material as UJSF Man of the André Ayew completed his hat-trick from the spot (90'+5) to keep the Trophée des Champions in Marseille with the last kick of a game watched by 33,900 enthralled Moroccan fans and TV audiences in 77 countries around the world.

Hazard on fire

Lille had looked to be in the driver's seat with ten minutes to go, Ligue 1 Player of the Year Eden Hazard showing that he has lost none of his cutting edge over the holidays as he set up Florent Balmont with a clever set piece for the match opener (9) before scoring Lille's second with a dazzling solo effort and clinical finish (57').

OM weren't without their chances, however, with France international Loïc Rémy drawing a superb save from Mickaël Landreau with a bullet header (38') before Ghana international André Ayew pulled one back with a fine shot on the turn (71') after Lucho Gonzalez has pierced the Lille backline with a stunning through-ball.

Lille fans didn't have long to wait though as last season's Ligue 1 top scorer Moussa Sow sprung the OM defence as he raced onto Ludovic Obraniak's sublime through ball (72') and it seems the scored would stay that way until, five minutes from time, newly-signed OM left-back Jérémy Morel pounded a low shot pas Landreau to turn the tide in Marseille's favour.

Breath-taking finale

The next ten minutes were a blur as every attacking move seemed to result in a goal - Rémy finally got his headed goal (87') to make it 3-3 after Lucho offered up another magnificent assist and then André Ayew looked to have clinched the match as he converted from the spot after Chedjou copped a second yellow for his tackle on Jordan Ayew(90').

However, Lille's newly signed Montenegrin defender Marko Basa took prime position in the OM area to head home his first goal for the club (90'+2)as Obraniak rivalled Lucho in the assists stakes to once again level the scores - at 4-4 - and seemingly make a penalty shoot-out inevitable.

A fine season in the offing

But as the seconds ticked down, Jordan Ayew surged forward and was once again brought down in the area, and once again big brother André made no mistake from the spot and fired home the winner that saw Marseille retain their Trophée des Champions title and lay down the gauntlet to last season's double winners Lille ahead of the commencement of the 2011-12 Ligue 1 season next weekend.

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