Bordeaux vs Marseille: Visitors end their winless run in away games against Les Girondins

Bordeaux vs Marseille Preview

Hosting Marseille who have been standing in the top group of Ligue 1 yesterday (FT), Bordeaux met a lot of difficulties. Some of their key players could not join the game due to injuries while some others had to fly back to South Africa for CAN 2021.  The home team could have to get a loss right in their first second leg game in the 2021-22 Ligue 1. 

Since the beginning of the season, Vladimir Petkovic’s squad have had only 3 wins and stood 17th on the table, having just 1 point more than the points of teams in the relegation group. If only considering in home games, Les Girondins even played worse with 7 points (1 win, 4 draws and 5 losses). In the situation that the team had to face both injuries and Covid-19’s impacts, it was very difficult for Petkovic to manage his squad for victories against stronger rivals. 

Meanwhile, Jorge Sampaoli’s Marseille have been having impressive performances in all competitions.  They lost only 1 out of the latest 12 games in Ligue 1 and Coupe de France (7 wins and 4 draws). Considering in away games, Marseille also had a series of all 4 wins in both Ligue 1 and the France Cup without any conceded goal. 

In addition, Marseille have been lucky with no Covid-19 cases until now. The teams just had no Bamba Dieng due to his suspension and Pape Gueye who would play in CAN 2021. Taking all of these advantages, the visitors were predicted to have a thrashing win against the home team right at Matmut Atlantique and end their unhappy series of games without winning here. 

Bordeaux vs Marseille

Bordeaux 0-1 Marseille

Starting Line-ups:

• Bordeaux: Benoît Costil, Enock Kwateng, Mexer, Stian Gregersen, Timothée Pembele, Rémi Oudin, Issouf Sissokho, Tom Lacoux, Javairô Dilrosun, Hwang Ui-jo, Alberth Elis.
• Marseille: Maxime Lopez, Luan Peres, Caleta-Car, William Saliba, Pol Lirola, Amine Harit, Boubacar Kamara, Mattéo Guendouzi, Luis Henrique, Dimitri Payet, Cengiz Under. 

Right in the 5th minute, the first chance for Marseille was missed. Amine Harit got the assist from Pol Lirola and immediately took his right-footed shot from the centre of the box but the ball flew too high. In the 10th minute, the visitors missed their opportunity once again. Under won a corner for Marseille after they overloaded the right flan. Payet then stepped up and slashed the ball into the box which fell for Caleta-Car at the far post, but he could only skim the frame of the goal. 

Marseille controlled the game completely, making Bordeaux players have no other choice but to make fouls. The visitors attacked the opponents continually and they got a sweet result in the 36th minute thanks to Costil’s assist. He scooped a goal kick straight to Cengiz Under, who scampered forwards, went round Gregersen and lashed into the far corner. It was 1-0 for visitors.    

Under scores the only goal in the match for Marseille

In the 42nd minute, it was a huge chance for the home team. Harit lost the ball in midfield and Bordeaux were away, Hwang tore through the gaping hole in Marseille’s defence. He went one-on-one with Lopez but, just as it looked like the hosts might snatch an equaliser, he fluffed his attempted finish. Hwang was caught offside. 

In the second half of the game, Bordeaux manage to control the game and find the equalizing goal but their attempts were blocked. Marseille kept pressing and made the home team turn around. In the 51st minute, Duje Caleta-Car’s header from the centre of the box was saved in the bottom right corner. 

In the 53rd minute, Issouf Sissokho tried a through ball, but Remi Oudin was caught offside and it was no chance for the home team. Just some minutes later, Marseille’s Guendouzi right footed shot from the centre of the box was once again saved in the centre of the goal.

Both teams played tenaciously with more opportunities made but there was no goal scored. The final result was 1-0 for the visitors and Marseille could finally celebrate their persuasive win against Bordeaux after 44 years with tough games. 

Marseille players celebrate their win

Man of the Match

Saliba, William (Marseille). Despite Marseille's overwhelming ascendancy for the majority of the game, their attackers did not farewell. Their forwards were unfocused and scattergun in front of goal, with the exception of Under, who displayed outstanding vision and control to score the winner.

Fortunately, Les Olympiens were rock solid at the back, even as Bordeaux began to show some fight in the second half. While both Duje Caleta-Car and William Saliba excelled at centre-back, winning aerial duels and suffocating Bordeaux's offensive threat, Saliba stood out for his driving runs into midfield and desire to create attacks. 

Reference Sources

• eurosports.com
• mykhel.com
• betimate.com