Goals from in-form Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Pape Gueye allowed Olympique de Marseille to stay in the race for Europe with a 2-1 home win over Racing Club de Lens
Without a Ligue 1 Uber Eats win since early March, Olympique de Marseille were under no small amount of pressure on Sunday evening to get a a result against Racing Club de Lens. Both of the two sides, who finished third and second respectively, have had a tougher go of it this season. Indeed, Lens' only victory since mid-March was a narrow win over bottom side Clermont Foot, as their hopes of returning to Europe seemed to be slipping through their fingers.
The two under-pressure sides thus squared off at the Stade Vélodrôme on Sunday in dire need of a win following OGC Nice's victory over RC Strasbourg earlier in the day. Despite being under-strength, it was the hosts who came out on top, 2-1, with in-form Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netting his 14th goal in Ligue 1 Uber Eats. Missing the suspended Faris Moumbagna, as well as the injured quintet of Bilal Nadir, Chancel Mbemba, Quentin Merlin, Bamo Meïté and Valentin Rongier, manager Jean-Louis Gasset had to be careful to balance wanting to name a strong side with the team's looming Europa League semifinal against Italian side Atalanta in the week.
β±οΈ 1’ ππ’π’π’ππππππππππ!!! β½οΈβ½οΈβ½οΈβ½οΈ
— Olympique de Marseille π¬π§ πΊπΈ (@OM_English) April 28, 2024
WHAT A START!!#OMRCL | 1οΈβ£ - 0οΈβ£ | π΅βͺ pic.twitter.com/IUTz18JGqa
Gasset's decisions didn't take long to pay off, as a brilliant acceleration and cross from Iliman Ndiaye found Aubameyang in a central position, and the captain neatly clipped the ball home past Brice Samba for a 1-0 lead. Ten minutes later, Samba did well to deny the striker a double, coming off his line to snuff out a chance on the counter, as the hosts continued to be in the ascendancy for much of the first half, sensing the opportunity to put pressure on the sides above them. His opposite number, Pau López, was also sharp just before the break, tipping a close-range effort on to the bar to preserve the lead.
After the break, there were few chances to note for either sides, until susbtitute Wesley Saïd found the net with a fine header across the goal with fifteen minutes to play. Had the result held, Lens would have been four points ahead of the hosts with just three matches to play, not an ideal situation. OM did well to respond, though, thanks to Pape Gueye. The Senegal international's sharp pressing and a clever one-two with Aubameyang gave the hosts a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Now seventh, Marseille trail Lens in sixth by just two points, and while they're level on points with Olympique Lyonnais this gritty win will surely be a tonic for the rest of their season.
