2023-11-12 23:51:25
During the last meeting between Lensois and Marseillais, the two teams were fighting for second place, synonymous with direct qualification for the Champions League. A match that Lens won (2-1) and which allowed it to return to the C1 in a melting Bollaert stadium. Six months later, the fervor of the artesian public has not changed. The intensity of the meeting, enormously.
A cautious OM went to Pas-de-Calais, having suffered three defeats in as many trips in the league against the teams which form the podium: Paris, Monaco and Nice. Opposite, Lens have only won one match since their historic success against Arsenal in the Champions League. As a result, the two teams both had 13 points before kick-off and occupied 9th and 10th places, with OM ahead of Lensois thanks to a better goal difference. The Marseillais also have one match in hand, that against Lyon, which will be replayed on December 6.
In the Lens rain, the 22 players put up a poor show this Sunday evening. In the first period, El Aynaoui, lined up by Franck Haise for the first time this season, was interesting on several occasions. The only glimmer in this very dull first act. We can note Danso’s header which fled the target in the 18th minute or even Wahi’s shot, also off target, ten minutes later. The numerous Lensois crosses did not worry the Marseille defense, solid in the air like Samuel Gigot, captain of the evening due to Rongier’s package.
The evening lantern is called Gradit
Returning from the locker room, Marseille shows itself more. In the 48th minute, the restless Harit managed to find Clauss who completely unscrewed his shot at the entrance to his former club’s area. A quarter of an hour later, the Moroccan is on the receiving end of a very good cross from Lodi, but he misses the target. In the 74th minute, Lensois El Aynaoui had no more successful header and the score still did not change. His timid strike in the 78th still forced Pau Lopez to catch the ball in two stages.
The Lensois supporters believed that the savior of the evening would be called Wesley Saïd. Receiving a corner in the 88th minute, he managed to deceive Paul Lopez after a superb hook but Veretout defended on his line. In the process, the former Dijon player misses his shot. The hero of this gloomy evening will ultimately be Jonathan Gradit. At the end of regulation time, the defender escapes from Balerdi’s marking and his header at the near post hits the mark for the late Lensoise opening score. Thanks to these three points, the Sang et Or have a breath of fresh air and climb to sixth place, four points behind Reims but above all three points ahead of their evening opponent.
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