PSG moved back to the Ligue 1 summit with their victory.
Paris Saint-Germain moved a step closer to lifting their third consecutive Ligue 1 title with a narrow 3-2 win away at fellow challengers Marseille on Sunday. It was a thrilling game in which the visitors twice came from behind before recording the victory that moves them back to the top of the table.
Marseille made a promsing start, though PSG fired a warning shot on the counter-attack in the 11th minute. Marco Verratti split the hosts' defence open, though Javier Pastore fired his shot wide of Steve Mandanda's far post. Within minutes they went close again, though Edinson Cavani scuffed a volley into the goalkeeper's arms. Before long, PSG were in the ascendancy.
However, the game was played a tempo so high that they never looked totally comfortable in their control. Just short of the half-hour that told, when a perfect Dimitri Payet cross from deep was powered into the back of the net by André-Pierre Gignac. Predictably, the Stade Vélodrome erupted.
But, unfortunately for the hosts, PSG's reaction was swift. It came within five minutes, and was a goal every bit as spectacular as the opener. Blaise Matuidi skipped away from Brice Dja Djédjé on the edge of the box, before his curling shot clipped the post and hit the back of the net.
The two sides were almost inseparable, with the respective defences largely coming out on top. The two opening goals were moments of brilliance; the third, a couple of minutes before half time, was the result of PSG shooting themselves in the foot. Pastore lost the ball in midfield, with the ball rolling straight through the middle of their defence for Gignac to chase down and slot home. It meant Marseille had a narrow lead at the end of an utterly breathless first period.
Within minutes of the restart it was very nearly 3-1, though Payet narrowly fired a dipping effort over from the edge of the area. It was a costly miss, as just two minutes later PSG equaised. It was an extremely scrappy goal, with a low free-kick squirming into the penalty area for Marquinhos to smash home from point-blank range.
It was the first of a quickfire double, with Pastore sent free down the left to deliver a low cross into the box for Zlatan Ibrahimović to slide home -- though replays showed Marseille defender Jérémy Morel got the last touch. Suddenly Marseille were trailing for the first time in the match, and they had a mountain to climb.
They set about their task with some determination, and coach Marcelo Bielsa responded by making his three substitutions. However, they struggled to find an end product to their build-up, and PSG almost killed the game off through Pastore just past the hour. His low shot flashed narrowly wide of the post. Six minutes later substitute Ezequiel Lavezzi was sent through on the break, though his shot was straight at Mandanda.
Marseille did manage to create a handful of half-chances too, though none of which caused PSG keeper Salvatore Sirigu any problems. At the other end, Mandanda was rather busier, and inside the final 10 minutes he made a great stop to deny Ibrahimović from close range and keep the game alive. But, ultimately, it was all in vain, with the visitors hanging on to record a potentially-decisive victory.
Marseille: Mandanda; Morel, Fanni, Romao; Mendy Lemina, Dja Djédjé; Ayew (Alessandrini 72'), Payet, Thauvin (Ocampos 63'); Gignac (Batshuayi 71').
Goals: Gignac (30', 43').
Paris Saint-Germain: Sirigu; Maxwell, David Luiz (van der Wiel 34'), Thiago Silva, Marquinhos; Matuidi, Thiago Motta, Verratti; Cavani (Lavezzi 59'), Ibrahimović, Pastore (Rabiot 82').
Goals: Matuidi (35'), Marquinhos (49'), Morel (o.g. 51').
3 Things
1. PSG have probably eliminated Marseille from the title race
PSG's win means they extend their advantage over Marseille to five points, and leapfrog Lyon by a couple. This win hasn't delivered a knockout blow for L'OM, but it's certainly got them on the ropes. As far as run-ins go, the Parisians have got a pretty nice one, and it's difficult to see them allowing Marseille to catch up. The title race is probably a two-horse one.
2. Marseille pay for their ambitious defending
The defining feature of Marseille's defensive play was their man-to-man marking. It wasn't uncommon to see the hosts' defenders chasing their direct opponents high from their nominal starting position as a result. It worked well in the first half, though as things began to open out and players started to tire in the second, they started to struggle. It was admirably aggressive and quintessential Bielsa, but they were lucky PSG didn't punish them by adding to their three goals.
3. The Stade Vélodrome is a phenomenal place to watch football
Many new stadia are pretty dull, identikit structures, with little to distinguish them from other stadiums elsewhere on the continent. Fortunately, the revamped Stade Vélodrome does not fall into this category. Packed to the rafters with vociferous home supporters, it was a sight to behold before kickoff. The electric atmosphere no doubt contributed to the frantic tempo of the first half.
#OMPSG : un tifo exceptionnel ! #Tifo → http://t.co/6Gpzn3Rpo1 #LesSupporters http://ift.tt/1GWRtny
— OM.net (@OMnet) April 5, 2015
Source SBNation.com - All Posts http://ift.tt/1JbVCmP
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