Angers SCO 0-2 Olympique de Marseille: Marseille east past hosts to strengthen grip on second spot
Adrien Rabiot and Neal Maupay delivered decisive late goals, propelling Olympique de Marseille to a 2-0 victory over Angers SCO at Stade Raymond-Kopa, thereby extending their lead over the closest competitors for a top-four finish to eight points.
This win also marked Marseille's seventh consecutive match without defeat against Angers.
From the outset, Marseille exhibited near-total dominance, creating early scoring opportunities. Mason Greenwood missed a chance from 20 yards, while Quentin Merlin forced a reflex save from Yahia Fofana.
The visitors relentlessly sought the opening goal, a feat they had failed to achieve in their last four Ligue 1 matches. They believed they had found it when Leonardo Balerdi scored from close range, but the goal was disallowed due to a handball in the buildup.
Marseille maintained their composure and continued to generate chances, with Ismael Bennacer delivering a perfectly weighted pass for Merlin, whose volley was once again thwarted by Fofana.
Frustration mounted for Les Olympiens when Amine Gouiri reacted quickly to Rabiot’s knockdown in the Angers box, but a cluster of defenders deflected his shot over the bar, allowing Les Scoïstes to preserve a clean sheet in the first half for the third consecutive Ligue 1 match.
After the break, Angers posed an early threat when Jim Allevinah fell in the penalty area, but referee Hakim Ben El Hadj dismissed the appeals and allowed play to continue.
Marseille remained composed and began to create more threats, with Merlin missing another excellent chance when he connected with Michael Murillo’s cross, sending a powerful shot into the side netting.
Ultimately, Angers succumbed to Marseille’s persistent pressure, and Rabiot delivered a moment of brilliance, scoring his third away goal in four matches with a powerful header from Gouiri’s corner that left Fofana helpless.
Maupay concluded the match with flair, executing a one-two pass with Gouri before deftly sliding his shot beneath Fofana and into the goal.
After suffering a 2-0 defeat at Nice in their last away match in Ligue 1, Marseille was in urgent need of a response to prevent consecutive losses on the road for the first time since April. De Zerbi’s squad rose to the occasion, delivering a timely performance.
Prior to conceding the two goals, Angers were thoroughly dominated and failed to register a single shot on target, resulting in the end of their three-match unbeaten streak at home against a Marseille team that appears to be on the verge of securing a place in next season’s Champions League.
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