Alexis Sánchez scored both goals as Olympique de Marseille won 2-0 away to Clermont Foot 63 on Saturday to close the gap on Ligue 1 Uber Eats leaders Paris Saint-Germain to just five points.
Clermont Foot 63 0-2 Olympique de Marseille
THE MATCH
Marseille were eager to pick up where they left off in midweek with their rousing Coupe de France victory over PSG, and get back on track in the league after their defeat at home to OGC Nice last time out. However, they had to be patient, with kick-off at the Stade Gabriel-Montpied delayed by almost an hour after incidents outside the ground prompted security forces to use tear gas, which then hung in the air over the stadium.
When the action did get underway, Clermont thought they had taken the lead midway through the first half when Grejohn Kyei followed up to score after Pau López had parried a Muhammed Cham shot. However, Kyei was offside when the initial shot was taken and the goal was disallowed.
Instead it was Marseille who were handed the chance to take the lead just before the break. A deflected Ruslan Malinovskyi free-kick was well saved by Mory Diaw in the Clermont goal, but a VAR check showed that the shot had come off the arm of Cham in the wall and so a penalty was awarded. Sánchez stepped up to convert from the spot (44’).
The visitors lost Samuel Gigot to injury right on half-time after he appeared to turn an ankle in painful fashion, but they came through the night otherwise unscathed. Substitute Issa Kaboré saw a deflected effort hit the bar four minutes after the restart, and the second goal eventually came late on. Jonathan Clauss crossed for Sánchez, whose initial header was tipped onto the bar by Diaw before the Chilean nodded in the rebound (81’).
Marseille, with eight wins and a draw in their last 10 in the league, are in excellent form, while Clermont remain in mid-table but have gone four games without a win, or even a goal.
THE PLAYER: Alexis Sánchez
The former Barcelona and Arsenal star was left on the bench at kick-off last weekend as new signing Vitinha made his debut against Nice. He has since come back in to score the opener and star in the Cup against PSG, and now his brace secured victory here. That is now 13 goals for the season for him.
THE STAT: 5
That is how many points separate Marseille from league leaders PSG, who visit the Vélodrome in a fortnight. Could the title race be on again?
