Olympique de Marseille opened their Ligue 1 Uber Eats season with a 2-1 win over Stade de Reims, with Azzedine Ounahi and Vitinha getting their goals at the Orange Vélodrome.
THE MATCH
New OM head coach Marcelino made four changes from the side who were edged 1-0 by Panathinaikos in UEFA Champions League qualifying on Wednesday, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang perhaps the most notable player who dropped to the bench. They both had their heads in their hands after Junya Ito gave Reims an early lead, finding space, and then Pau Lopez's bottom corner, after Thomas Foket's cross (10'). Marseille regrouped quickly, though, and Chancel Mbemba crashed a header against the crossbar minutes later (14'). The equaliser followed in short order, with Ounahi spinning an unstoppable shot beyond Yehvann Diouf from outside the box (23'). Ito thought he had scored his and his side's second towards the end of the half, but the Japanese's effort was ruled out with the ball going out of play in the build-up (40'). Vitinha had a goal chalked off for offside at the other end (41') and it was 1-1 at the break.
Vitinha has final say
Ismaïla Sarr, a summer signing from Watford, came off the bench for Marseille soon after the restart (51') and wasted little time in making his presence felt, teasing Manchester City-owned left-back Josh Wilson-Esbrand and trying to tee up Vitinha in the centre, but his delivery let him down more than once (53', 54'). Jonathan Clauss was the next to try and find the Portuguese attacker. This time the delivery was good, but the striker made a mess of it (72'). Vitinha made amends moments later, though, capitalising on some static Reims defending to poke home beyond Diouf for 2-1 (73'). Vitinha might have bagged a brace if Sarr hadn't taken the ball off his toe and fired over late on (83') but the profligacy went unpunished and Marseille held on to take all three points from what was a tricky encounter.
THE PLAYER: Vitinha
The gauntlet has been laid for Vitinha with Aubameyang's arrival from Chelsea, as well as Iliman Ndiaye's from Sheffield United, but he did his hopes of further inclusion little harm here.
THE STAT: 4
Marseille have now won their last four games against Reims in all competitions. The last time the Champagne club got the better of les Phocéens was back in in August 2019, when Boulaye Dia and Suk Hyun-jun scored in a 2-0 win at the Vélodrome.
