Niclas Eliasson scored twice on Saturday as Nîmes Olympique stunned Olympique de Marseille, winning 2-1 at the Orange Vélodrome to climb off the bottom of the Ligue 1 Uber Eats table.
Olympique de Marseille 1-2 Nîmes Olympique
THE MATCH
Marseille were looking to bounce back from their narrow loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Trophée des Champions in midweek but they squandered the chance to take a first-half lead as Florian Thauvin contrived to shoot wide from a penalty awarded for a Sofiane Alakouch handball.
OM were made to pay as the visitors went in front 10 minutes into the second half, Alakouch’s low ball in from the right side of the box being turned in by Eliasson at the near post. Three minutes later it was 2-0 as Eliasson again arrived to score from close range, this time at the back post, from another Alakouch assist.
Marseille were stunned and, while they got a goal back, it came too late. Just five minutes remained when Dario Benedetto pounced on a slack pass by Andrés Cubas on the edge of the Nîmes box before firing home. The Crocodiles held on for a first win in nine games as they climb off the bottom of the table. Marseille have now won just once in six league games, having won their previous six on the trot. That form has caused potentially fatal damage to their title aspirations.
THE PLAYER: Niclas Eliasson
The former Sweden Under-21 international was the match-winner for his side as he scored his first two goals since joining Nîmes from English second-tier side Bristol City for an undisclosed fee in October.
THE STAT: 2
Having also missed from the spot against Girondins de Bordeaux in October, Florian Thauvin has failed to convert his last two penalties in Ligue 1. He had netted seven of his previous eight, including one for SC Bastia. OM have only scored one of four penalties this season in Ligue 1.
