Europa League: For OM, everything is still possible

OM can still believe in their European final: at the height of the event, Marseille’s Atalanta dominated Bergamo on Thursday in the semi-final first leg of the Europa League, but could do no better than a 1-1 draw, which leaves them with some regrets and a lot of hope.

At the final whistle, the impression was mixed among the players, whose faces betrayed some disappointment at not having made the difference at home. But if they were in any doubt, the applause and chants from the Vélodrome showed them that they had lived up to expectations.

OM actually responded to the announced intensity of Atalanta, and even a bit more, carried by 65,000 spectators who liked what they saw and believed until the end of the possible victory.

In the end, OM lacked any accuracy or success, especially on two big chances from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Azzedine Ounahi, to arrive in Bergamo with a slim lead in a week.

With the Ismaïla Sarr-Aubameyang duo lined up up front, Jean-Louis Gasset hoped to pose a dual threat to the Italians in depth. The idea brought some ammunition, but at first Marseillais probably abused these long balls, which were often too imprecise.

Mbemba revives OM

Above all, after a committed and choppy start to the match, OM forgot this roughness when defending the first real Italian attack. Without much resistance, Teun Koopmeiner easily found Gianluca Scamacca, himself very lonely in the Marseille area, and the series scorer of “Dea” deceived Pau Lopez without problems (1-0, 11.).

But in an atmosphere that was also worthy of the event, Marseille moved forward quickly and the rest of the first period showed that this semi-final was wide open and that OM’s dreams of a final were not absurd.

Former Marseille Sead Kolasinac first narrowly saved in front of Sarr, injuring himself in the process, then Chancel Mbemba, whose left knee has been grinding for a month, equalized with a surprise curling shot from the right (1-1, 20.).

Until the break, it was Marseille who dominated, with several interesting but wasted chances, until the painful act in the 42nd minute, when Aubameyang wasted a giant 2-1 opportunity at the end of a counterattack perfectly led by Jordan Veretout and Amine Harry.

Still alive

The Gabonese is undoubtedly the one who led OM to the semi-finals and nobody will blame him, especially as he once again contributed to the team’s good second half.

But the second huge chance for victory for OM did not come from him, but from Ounahi, who arrived shortly before and who delivered an almost perfect attack in the 73rd minute. Almost because it crashed into the corner of Juan Musso’s goal instead of into his net.

Backed by a crowd coming to terms with a group of players that irked them so much this season, OM then looked for victory until the end, without finding it, but without being really threatened either.

In a week’s time in Bergamo, Atalanta will undoubtedly do a little more than at the Vélodrome, but when it comes time to attack the return leg, OM are therefore still alive in this European Cup that gave them joy in the heart of a terrible season.

It can always end in apotheosis on May 22 in Dublin and Marseille and Jean-Louis Gasset has no matter what merit in still being in the fight for a place in the European Cup final. There are certain evenings in October or January where we would not have invested heavily in it.