Mattéo Guendouzi scored from the penalty spot to cancel out Arnaud Nordin's early opener as Olympique de Marseille salvaged a share of the points at home to Montpellier Hérault SC on Friday night.
THE MATCH
Marseille began the day in second, nine places and 23 points better off than their visitors, but it was Montpellier who got off to the better start at the Orange Vélodrome, with Nordin capping off a fine counter-attacking move which had started with Wahbi Khazri making a mockery of his manager's comments about his weight earlier in the week (12'). Marseille soon settled, though, and Valentin Rongier might have levelled only for Falaye Sacko then Issiaga Sylla to get in the way (32'). OM restored parity at the end of the half. Mamadou Sakho handballed in the box and Guendouzi stepped up to convert - ahead of Alexis Sanchez - firing low into Benjamin Lecomte's corner (44'). Elye Wahi, who made the final pass before Nordin's opener, fired narrowly off target with the final kick of the half (45'+6) and it was 1-1 at the break.
Honours even
Montpellier had the first real attack of the second half when Nordin drilled a low ball in towards Wahi, but Ruben Blanco, preferred to Pau Lopez, leapt on the ball before last year's top-scoring teenager could get on the end of it (52'). Khazri then had a gilt-edged chance to make it 2-1 when he met Stephy Mavididi's cross from the right, but his shot fizzed wide (66'). Igor Tudor sent Cengiz Under and Chancel Mbemba on for the final half-hour (59') and the change in shape helped OM, who dominated possession thereon. Ruslan Malinovskyi fired a shot off-target (75') before Sead Kolasinac (82') and Rongier (86') both should have done better with a pair of Dimitri Payet free-kicks. Mbemba then found Lecomte's gloves with a cross (90'+4) and it ended 1-1.
THE PLAYER: Mattéo Guendouzi
Guendouzi has had to fight hard to win Igor Tudor's trust this season, with Rongier and Jordan Veretout increasingly preferred as the Croatian's preferred central midfield partnership. But a defensive injury crisis has afforded the former Arsenal man a chance, with Rongier playing in the back three, and he showed nerves of steel to take the penalty ahead of 12-goal Alexis, before converting with aplomb.
THE STAT: 20
Marseille will nonetheless be disappointed with a draw. Les Phocéens have dropped 20 points on home turf this season, and are winless in their last five at the Vélodrome. Only OGC Nice have a worse record over the period (21 points lost).
