PLAYER RATINGS | Marseille 1-1 Nice: Elye Wahi’s Paneka sees points shared in Mediterranean derby
PLAYER RATINGS | Marseille 1-1 Nice: Elye Wahi’s Paneka sees points shared in Mediterranean derby OGC Nice earned a big point in the race for Ligue 1 safety away to Marseille in the Mediterranean derby thanks to a superbly executed Panenka from former OM striker Elye Wahi which ruled out Pierre-Emile Højbjerg’s earlier diving header. THE MATCH The tension mounted in Marseille last week following their loss to Lorient, which preceded frank words from sporting director Medhi Benatia and a week of training and sleeping at OM’s training ground before tonight’s Mediterranean derby clash against Nice. Les Aiglons, on the other hand, were buoyed after having succeeded in reaching the final of the Coupe de France in the week.
Yet for Claude Puel’s men, safety was yet to be secured. Marseille grabbed the first chance of the game, as some good work saw Weah break down the left side and hoist a looped cross at the back post which was met by Vermeeren, yet the Belgian’s header was saved by a diving Diouf. Eyebrows were raised when Habib Beye dropped Mason Greenwood to the bench and named a 5-4-1 with Leonardo Balerdi sitting low and acting like a sweeper.
Claude Puel’s side were hoping to to hit OM on the counter-attack, but Beye’s defensive set-up had countered it well. A fast combination between Vermeeren, Emerson, and Højbjerg saw the Dane in-behind one-on-one on Diouf, but his pull-back was played into nowhere as the Vélodrome groaned in unison. That was much in the image of a first half which saw both sides defend doggedly, but with the attacking rhythm of the game leaving much to be desired.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would head wide after play resumed from break from a looped ball in from Weah. OM once again combined really well between Højbjerg and Timber for Nnadi’s strike to be saved. Then Rulli would have to be quick on his line to meet a driving Mohamed Ali Cho one-on-one as the game began to open up as the second half wore on.
But the Nice defence was unlocked by OM with a lovely looped cross by Tochukwu Nnadi and a diving header from captain Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (65′). But a huge error from Geronimo Rulli would see Nice have a chance to try and finish into an open net, which was squandered by Jonathan Clauss sliding in at the back post. Then the script would get flipped its head when the young subtitle Tadjine Mmadi was seen to have stamped on Jonathan Clauss’s boot just inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot.
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