Olympique Marseille is working towards the first meeting with Feyenoord in the semifinals of the Conference League with a victory. The number two in Ligue 1 didn’t play big, but won 0-1 without having to put in too much work. Marseille is currently unthreatened in second place and therefore has the prospect of direct qualification for the Champions League.
With Azor Matusiwa and Mitchell van Bergen, Stade de Reims had two Dutchmen on the field, but the attention of the Dutch football follower will have mainly been focused on Marseille. Perhaps with a view to the first semi-final match against Feyenoord, Dimitri Payet was given a rest by trainer Jorge Sampaoli. The attacking midfielder, who scored twice on Wednesday against Nantes (3-2), started on the bench. At the start of the second half he did come in, because things did not go smoothly at Marseille.
Although the visitors had a predominance of ball possession, they seldom came through the close defense of Stade de Reims. The well-organized Stade de Reims lurked on the counter themselves and even got the best chance of the first half via Matusiwa. In the eighteenth minute he was served by a cross from Ghislain Konan from the left wing. Matusiwa took the ball on the edge of the penalty area, cut defender Luan Peres and looked for the right corner. The bet lacked the power to surprise goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.
Marseille once appeared threatening in the first half: goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic of Stade de Reims had some trouble with a powder from Arek Milik. In the second company were the most dangerous attempts by the home team. Shortly after the break, Marshall Munetsi misjudged a sharp pass from Van Bergen, after which Konan shot wide. He did that again sixteen minutes before time; moments later, a header from Munetsi was kept out of the corner by Mandanda.
Seven minutes before the end, Marseille took the game to itself. Gerson forced a corner with a shot that sailed over the back line through Rajkovic’s legs and opened from that corner l’OM the score. After a few wanderings, the ball ended up at Gerson, who cut out Andrew Gravillon in the penalty area with a scissors movement and the far right corner. Marseille thus managed to win no fewer than eleven of the last twelve official games. With a five-point lead over number three Stade Rennes, a ticket to the group stage of the Champions League is within reach.