In their first test since the sudden departure of their Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi, Olympique de Marseille squandered a victory that was within their grasp, settling for a 2-2 draw against visiting Strasbourg in a thrilling match played at home as part of the 22nd round of the French Ligue 1. Under the guidance of their interim coach, Jacques Abardonado, Marseille appeared poised for a crucial win that would restore the team's confidence, having led 2-0 until the 74th minute. However, Strasbourg staged a remarkable comeback in the final minutes to snatch a valuable point.
Match details and events
Mason Greenwood opened the scoring for the home side in the 14th minute, after a perfectly weighted through ball from teammate Amine Gouiri put him one-on-one with the goalkeeper, allowing him to calmly slot the ball into the net. Early in the second half, Algerian striker Amine Gouiri the lead himself in the 47th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by the Strasbourg goalkeeper to break into the penalty area and fire a powerful shot into the bottom right corner. Just as the match seemed destined for a comfortable victory for Marseille, Swedish substitute Sebastian Nanase a goal back for Strasbourg in the 74th minute with a powerful strike from the edge of the box. Then, in the seventh minute of stoppage time (90+7), Argentine striker Joaquin Panicelli a dramatic equalizer from the penalty spot, stunning the Stade Vélodrome crowd and securing a valuable point for his team.
Context of De Zerbi's departure and its impact
This setback comes at a critical time for the southern French club, which had hoped for a fresh start after announcing the "mutual" termination of its relationship with coach De Zerbi earlier in the week. The Italian coach's departure followed a string of inconsistent results, culminating in a humiliating 5-0 defeat to arch-rivals Paris Saint-Germain, which negatively impacted team morale. The Strasbourg match was seen as the perfect opportunity for Marseille to regain its footing and secure its third consecutive league victory, but the collapse in the final minutes exposed a defensive and psychological fragility that continues to plague the team.
Importance and impact on league standings
With this draw, Marseille squandered a valuable opportunity to temporarily move into third place in the French league standings. The team now has 40 points, remaining in fourth place, behind Lyon on goal difference. On the other hand, this point is a significant gain for Strasbourg, who now have 31 points in seventh place, strengthening their position in the mid-table and comfortably clear of the relegation zone. This setback puts added pressure on Marseille's management to find a permanent coach capable of restoring stability to the team and competing strongly for a Champions League qualification spot, the club's primary objective this season.
