Dimitri Payet came off the bench to deliver two assists - the second deep in injury time - as Olympique de Marseille battles back from 2-1 down to beat AS Monaco 3-2 at their Stade Louis II.
THE MATCH
AS Monaco 2-3 Olympique de Marseille
Marseille should have had the lead inside the first few minutes when Jonathan Clauss crossed for fellow wing-back Nuno Tavares at the back post, but the Arsenal-owned man blazed over from close range (2'). Clauss sent a similar ball in for Mattéo Guendouzi soon after, but he failed to connect properly with a header (9'). OM were on the front foot for much of the first half and Alexis Sanchez teed Samuel Gigot up for another chance but the centre-back fired over the crossbar (23'). It took a moment of magic to break the deadlock. Benoît Badiashile fouled Alexis on the edge of the box and the Chilean dusted himself down to curl an unstoppable free-kick beyond Alexander Nubel in the home goal (35'). Monaco got back on level terms before the half was out, though. Leonardo Balerdi brought Krépin Diatta down in the box and Wissam Ben Yedder sent Nubel's opposite number Pau Lopez the wrong way with a Panenka penalty (45').
Late drama
Monaco were much better at the start of the second half and Ben Yedder's pass intended for Diatta that nutmegged Balerdi deserved a better fate than to be collected comfortably by Nubel (55'). When Diatta did get the break of the ball following a deflected Axel Disasi shot, Nubel was equal to his attempt (57'). Amine Harit then went off with a knee injury - one that looks likely to end his FIFA World Cup hopes with Morocco - to be replace by Payet (62'), and Monaco added insult to that injury soon after when Aleksandr Golovin slipped Volland through to steer home for 2-1 (72'). Marseille would have the final say, though. Payet prodded the ball to Jordan Veretout in the box and the midfielder did brilliantly to get it out from under his feet before scoring for 2-2 (84'), and there was still time for Payet to whip in a wicked free-kick that Sead Kolasinac headed home for 3-2 (90'+8)
THE PLAYER: Dimitri Payet
Payet has had to settle for a cameo role under Igor Tudor at Marseille this season, and whilst nobody would have wished for Harit's injury in order for him to be introduced, the game changed once Payet entered the fray. He may now be 35, but he has the kind of vision and technique that can't be taught and surely has another few seasons in him yet.
THE STAT: 11
It may have been sealed at the death, but Marseille have now won 11 Ligue 1 Uber Eats games away from home in 2022 - their best such tally since 2009. This win means they go into the winter break in fourth, although with 11 points to make up on league leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
