They were promised hell in a boiling stadium. As in Basel, the Marseillais got away with it in hostile territory, in Thessaloniki. A 1-0 victory, Thursday April 14, thanks to a goal from Dimitri Payet (35th), perfectly served by Matteo Guendouzi. A success, combined with that of the first leg (2-1) which allows the Olympians to join the last four of the Europa League conference. A victory built thanks to the capital performances of Steve Mandanda and Dimitri Payet, the two Marseille captains this season.
⏱ 90′ | #PAOKOM 0️⃣-1️⃣ │ #UECL
IN THE SEMI-FINAL
Our Olympians prevail 3️⃣-1️⃣ over the two meetings and will face the @Feyenoord next round ⚪️ pic.twitter.com/MQRgjDlMn7
– Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) April 14, 2022
Il Fenomeno had announced the color at the pre-match press conference. “We play to go to the end”, announced the historic doorman of OM. And it is saying that Steve Mandanda joined the words to the deeds. With five saves, the goalkeeper kept his clean sheet in front of a melting Stade de la Toumba who was just waiting to exult.
But by frustrating the Greek attackers, Mandanda did not leave the fans the joy of celebrating a goal and believing in qualification. On the contrary, it disgusted them. From the start of the match, still transcended by the smoke of the pyrotechnic show proposed at the entrance of the players, the White and Black did everything to open the scoring and return to equality in the double-confrontation. But Chuba Akpom then José Crespo fell on a wall (10th).
5 – Steve Mandanda made 5 saves tonight, his best total in a match with Marseille in all competitions without conceding a goal since September 2019 in Dijon (6). Fenomeno. @SteveMandanda #PAOKOM pic.twitter.com/pk7VZt6LyW
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) April 14, 2022
Stops which allowed the Marseillais to pass the storm without incident. Perfect in the role of the lightning rod, Steve Mandanda, who had a third consecutive meeting as a holder for the first time since the end of August, offered himself a new rescue before halftime. Still decisive at the end of the match, the most capped player in the history of the European Cup with a French club (99 matches), achieved another perfect match, enough to revive the discussion on his starting place. And to get back to the World Cup?
It was another old veteran who put the Olympians in orbit to seek this qualification. For his 293rd match with OM, Dimitri Payet came to conclude a strong time for Marseille after the assaults of the first quarter of an hour saved by his captain. A real team effort.
AGAIN Dimitri Payet who gives the advantage to OM! ⚽️#PAOKOM #UECL ▶️: https://t.co/zCpw9j88r0 pic.twitter.com/jkD33VgWQc
– Canal Football Club (@CanalFootClub) April 14, 2022
His fourteenth goal in all competitions for his most prolific season of his career at 35. Already scorer in the first leg, with a guided missile in the skylight of Alexandros Paschalakis, the Reunionese did it again, well served by Matteo Guendouzi. Second best scorer for his club this season and best passer, Payet finds himself fully in the system of Jorge Sampaoli, in the stands for this quarter-final return.
Steve Mandanda, who should therefore play his hundredth European match in the Olympian jersey, and Dimitri Payet will play their place in the final against the Dutch from Feyenoord, with a return to the Vélodrome. For a new European semi-final in the history of the Olympian club.