Ligue 1. OM wins against Lens before the semifinals of the Europa League

Marseille – Lens

2-1

Olympique de Marseille, four days before the Europa League semi-final first leg against Atalanta, beat Lens (2-1) at the Stade Vélodrome and climbed from ninth to seventh place in Ligue 1, Sunday at the end of 31.^e daytime.

The winning goal, signed by Pape Gueye on the 85th^e minute, fell from the sky at a time when OM had his head under water. It was generously offered by Sang et Or on a disastrous recovery: a simple recovery from Gueye, a relay from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, still decisive, and the Senegalese midfielder tricked Brice Samba (2-1).

The Vélodrome then sang very loudly, as if to warm up their voice for Thursday night. Because OM will host Atalanta in the semi-final first leg of the Europa League, driven by this success that leaves them alive in the championship and with the right to believe in their chances against the Italians.

A manageable final to dream of in the championship

Jean-Louis Gasset and his team had promised they would not choose between Ligue 1 and the Europa League and they kept their promise, as did Aubameyang and Jordan Veretout, who stayed on the pitch until the end and ended up bloodless.

Now they can fully focus their attention on the double confrontation with Atalanta. The championship will only return afterwards, with three games within reach – Reims, Lorient and Le Havre – to hope to improve the rankings, which are now 7^e two lengths from today’s sacrifice.

On Sunday, OM also had an excellent first half hour, the best in a very long time. The scoreline was further embellished by the opening score, which came even before the end of the first minute of play, when Aubameyang volleyed home an impeccable cross from Iliman Ndiaye (1-0).

The Gabonese, writer on the occasion of his 14^e The goal of the season in the championship, like Leonardo Balerdi, is one of Gasset’s essentials, and when he stayed on the ground for a long time in 29.^e minute all of Marseille stopped breathing and thought about Thursday and Atalanta.

A goal that changes (almost) everything

Another important one, Veretout had at 21^e minute a great opportunity to double the counterattack, OM found so much space behind the Lensois midfielder, but the game remained open, especially with a header from Florian Sotoca on the post from Pau Lopez (38)^e).

After the break, however, time was very long for Marseillais, who fell back and found it increasingly difficult to camouflage the obvious physical wear and tear of some. Quite logically, Franck Haise’s men ended up coming back thanks to a header from Wesley Saïd on a perfect cross from Massadio Haïdara (1-1, 77)^e). But while the OM championship seemed almost over, Gueye’s goal revived Marseille in the battle for European places.

This goal proved that if this season’s OM is undoubtedly not a very good team, they have courage. And one month from the end of this exercise where everything has gone wrong, he is a semi-finalist in the Europa League and still has something to achieve in the Championship. It was not a matter of course.