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Ligue 1 Matchday 22, 15/02/2025

Roberto De Zerbi’s Olympique de Marseille additional consolidate their bid for Champions League soccer with an emphatic win over Saint-Étienne on the Vélodrome on Saturday afternoon.

THE MATCH:

Olympique de Marseille additional consolidated their spot in second within the Ligue 1 desk after dominating on the Vélodrome in opposition to a struggling Saint-Étienne outfit. Roberto De Zerbi made it three wins in a row within the prime flight in opposition to a Sainté outfit that was swallowed up at packed Vélodrome on Saturday afternoon.

It was the hosts that began the brightest at a sunny Stade Vélodrome. Captain Leonardo Balerdi nodded the ball into the again of the web for what the Vélodrome thought was the opener, however the referee would seek the advice of VAR and find yourself ruling the objective out for an excessive amount of contact on ASSE goalkeeper Gautier Larsonneur. Les Phocéens would carry on producing possibilities to get in entrance. Mason Greenwood was denied at shut vary by Larsonneur, earlier than Rabiot blasted over the bar from shut vary.

The breakthrough would come by one in all OM’s latest signings, Amine Gouiri. Having already registered three assists up to now with Les Olympiens, the Algerian completed emphatically from vary with a curled effort from round 20-yards exterior the field. It was merely unstoppable for Larsonneur to get any fingertips to it. By the break, OM had been clearly the facet within the ascendancy, with ASSE not taking advantage of their odd skirmish up the pitch.

Straight out for the second half, and Gouiri could be concerned within the motion as soon as once more. This time the Algerian’s drive into the field completed with a cross which deflected off Mikael Nade’s arm, and the referee needed to seek the advice of VAR earlier than pointing to the spot. OM’s prime scorer Greenwood would step up and convert confidently to double the lead for Les Olympiens.

De Zerbi’s males simply wouldn’t cease of their attacking intent, this time Larsonneur did nicely to avoid wasting from Gouiri after which Merlin, however Sainté’s defence was all over and Murillo was allowed to easily faucet residence into an open internet for Marseille’s third. Gouiri would then add a fourth and his second of the day with a deft chip after the hosts steal the ball off the Sainté defence and ship the Algerian by one-on-one with Larsonneur. The away facet would seize a objective again by Lucas Stassin, choosing up on an error by the OM defence and ending low previous Rulli, however it might be too little too late for Les Stéphanois, as OM condemned them to a straight third defeat within the league.

OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE PLAYER RATINGS:

Géronimo Rulli – 6

Quentin Merlin – 4

Leonardo Balerdi – 6

Derek Cornelius – 5

Amir Murillo – 6

Murillo is maybe one of many extra underrated OM gamers below De Zerbi, however has been quietly turning into probably the most

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – 5

One other strong efficiency from the Dane, with out an excessively spectacular match by way of his tackling skill and his play-making. He was as soon as once more nonetheless the midfield engine which helped drive OM’s passing play by the center of the pitch, and is having fun with a rising relationship with Ismaël Bennacer.

Adrien Rabiot – 7

A quieter outing that anticipated for the French worldwide, however he nonetheless managed to supply a very good stage of link-up play with OM’s attackers. He managed to get into a couple of good attacking positions and managed to nod his fifth objective this season within the second interval.

Ismaël Bennacer – 6

He constructed upon a strong debut outing at Angers with one other assuring outing in his Vélodrome debut. The Algerian sat low and was a key a part of OM’s build-up play by the centre of the pitch. He’s beginning to kind a very good bond with Pierre-Emile Højbjerg within the midfield areas, which has allowed Rabiot to playa additional up the pitch.

Mason Greenwood – 6

The Englishman doesn’t should be the middle of OM’s attacking show to show efficient. His build-up play was a lot improved in comparison with current outings on the Vélodrome, and he stepped up when wanted to transform OM’s penalty to double the lead within the second half.

Amine Gouiri – 8

Since becoming a member of Marseille, Amine Gouiri has now had 5 objective involvements in his first three appearances for Les Olympiens (Two objectives, three assists). He actually got here into his personal this afternoon, scoring a shocking opener from vary. His drive and tried cross then led to OM’s second of the night, earlier than deftly ending with an pretty chip to finish his brace.

Luis Henrique – 5

The Brazilian didn’t become involved within the goal-scoring motion as we speak, and had a quieter efficiency by way of his attacking output. But he nonetheless did his bit, and supplied an assured efficiency with out overly impressing.

AS SAINT-ÉTIENNE PLAYER RATINGS

Guatier Larsonneur – 4

When any goalkeeper concedes 5 objectives, it’s at all times straightforward to level the blame at whoever is in-between the sticks. But Larsonneur was merely not helped by his defence, summed up by OM’s third objective when he had made a wonderfully superb double save from Gouiri and Merlin, earlier than Murillo merely tapped into an open internet.

Mickaël Nadé – 3

Pierre Ekwah – 4

Léo Petrot – 3

Dylan Batubinsika – 3

Bejamamin Bouchouari – 3

Florian Tardieu – 3

Augustine Boakye – 4

Zuriko Davitashvili – 4

Lucas Stassin – 6

|– Reporting from Marseille’s