Bis repeated for OM. Like a week earlier, Olympique de Marseille did not give details to offer itself Sporting (0-2), Wednesday, October 12. The Phocaeans were dominating from start to finish to sign a second success in a row against the Lisbon team, after that obtained last Tuesday (4-1). Enough to revive completely after their failed debut in Group D. Igor Tudor’s men are temporarily in a position to qualify for the knockout stages since they have passed their victim of the evening.
We take the same and start again. As at the Vélodrome, the Marseillais put Sporting under the extinguisher by quickly establishing intense pressure on their defense. As at the Vélodrome, they quickly benefited from the indiscipline of the Lisbon players, reduced to ten from the 19th minute, following two warnings received in two minutes by Ricardo Esgaio. And as at the Vélodrome, their efforts were rewarded with a goal in the first twenty minutes. But this time, the visitors avoided the slightest fear by showing themselves involved from the first moments.
Matteo Guendouzi took responsibility by opening the scoring from the penalty spot (20th), the first of his career, after a foul on Amine Harit. The Moroccan, on the verge of offside, continued his excellent game by serving Alexis Sanchez (30th) to double the lead and put OM to safety. Dominators in the game, the Marseillais showed control, as the Champions League demands, and as they have not always shown in recent seasons. Well launched, and a little helped by the circumstances of the game – injury to Portuguese captain Coates in the first period, second red card for Gonçalves (60th) – they did not give the slightest hope of a return to an opponent as nervous as limited in offensive production.
At eleven against nine, the teammates of captain Valentin Rongier maintained the embrace without managing to widen the gap, while the goal difference could prove decisive in group D. Olympique de Marseille is the new second, dislodging Sporting, behind Tottenham, winner of Frankfurt (3-2). The perfect evening for OM, which puts an end to two series: that of the Marseille drought away in the Champions League, with a first victory since December 2011 (2-3 in Dortmund), and that of the French clubs on Portuguese soil in C1, with a first success in the history of French football. Marseille could hardly have hoped for better preparation for Sunday’s shock against Paris Saint-Germain.