LINE UP

Stade Vélodrome | Referee Monsieur BRÉ | Attendance about 30.000

Olympique de Marseille coach: Didier DESCHAMPS 30   MANDANDA 3   TAIWO (c) 19   HEINZE 21   DIWARA 24   BONNART 6   CISSE (CHEYROU 46') 8   GONZALEZ 10   BEN ARFA (KONÉ 79')   12   KABORE 28   VALBUENA (ABRIEL 67') 9   BRANDAO

FC Sochaux-Montbéliard coach : Francis GILLOT 30   DREYER 8   CARLÃO 13   BRÉCHET (c) 24   PERQUIS 5   FATY 22   MIKARI  19   GAVANON 26   MARTIN (DRAMÉ   46') 28   MAURICE-BELAY (MAURICE-BELAY 75')  10   BOUDEBOUZ (PRIVAT 46')   12   BUTIN

SUBSTITUTES : 40   ANDRADE 5   HILTON 7   CHEYROU 18   ABRIEL 27   MBOW 14   KONÉ 23   MORIENTES

SUBSTITUTES : 1   CROS 3   STEVANOVIC 27   POUJOL 4   DRAMÉ 27   JOSSE 11   PRIVAT  33   DIAS

 

REPORT

After two goalless draws obtained away at RC Lens and OGC Nice, FC Sochaux-Montbéliard play tonight their fifth away game in a row. FCSM travelled to Marseille's Stade Vélodrome to face one of the most notorious teams in France: Olympique de Marseille. Where FCSM is almost certain to play also next season in Ligue 1, Marseille can be top of the league if they beat FCSM this evening. The Jaune and Bleu meet Marseille twice during a kind of European week there home and away games will be played into one week time. Both matches have been postponed at an earlier stage this season.

Large domination of Marseille, two goals down at half time

Marseille can't count tonight on Ligue 1 top scorer Mamadou Niang but still are able to align a top team with Lucho Gonzalez, Hatem Ben Arfa and Brandão up front. The Sochaliens will face them again with Matthieu Dreyer instead of Teddy Richert between the posts and also without Stéphane Dalmat, Vaclav Sverkos and Brown Ideye. The Nigerian striker wasn't yet under contract at FCSM when the game was initially scheduled, on Match day 14 to be played on November 21th, 2009. Therefore Edouard Butin will start in the first eleven, just like Yassin Mikari, back from a one match suspension. The Sochaliens start well while the rain falls down but it's Marseille that take the lead after nine minutes. An all Argentinean made goal as Lucho Gonzalez sends in the corner and Gabriel Heinze heads home from close range. Five minutes later Matthieu Dreyer saves his team before more harm can be done. Brandão is on his way to score OM's second but Dreyer comes out of his goals just in time to deny with one hand the Brazilian to put in a second goal. Marseille is lucky to enlarge their domination when the referee indicates to the spot-kick as Mikari fouls Bonnart but only outside the penalty box. Nevertheless Hatem Ben Arfa doesn't fail to convert the penalty as the ball slides just under Dreyer. Marvin Martin tries to change the score with a first attempt on goal. The home side is far much more dangerous as Brandão finds Dreyer on his way. It's clear that Olympique Marseille, who won the League Cup, their first trophy in seventeen years, are keen to take the leadership in Ligue 1 tonight.

No more extra damage…until the last minute

Francis Gillot brings Sloan Privat and Boukary Dramé instead of Marvin Martin and Ryad Boudebouz at the restart. Dramé tests directly Mandanda as he fires a missile from about 25 metres on target. The goalie struggles to box the leather out of his cage. Although it isn't a violent game, the referee shows four yellow cards in ten minutes, two at both sides. FCSM try with some nice combinations to reduce the score but they only get some corners. A deflected shot by Butin ends, out of reach of Mandanda, on the bar. With a quarter of an hour left Rafael Dias, nineteen years of age and a product of FCSM's Youth system, makes his debut in Ligue 1. Dreyer produces a new fine save as he's well placed to frustrate Taiwo's effort. The Sochaliens resist well but can't avoid that Koné escapes and chips in a third goal in the additional time.

REACTIONS

Francis Gillot:
"In the first half we played just to play, not to win. We were very kind for Marseille and we lacked a bit of maturity. In the second half we had an opportunity to score but we didn't do. Marseille did have this realism to score. Now, we have to take at least one point against Saint-Étienne cause we're still not save."

Édouard Butin:
"After being 2-0 down in Marseille, we knew it would be difficult to obtain a good result. OM were very strong in possession, they have a great team."

Didier Deschamps:
"I'm satisfied with the input of our game, I've always believed in my squad. Sometimes only few things can make a difference. We are well served by the number of goals tonight."

Kaboré:
"Everyone knows what we're looking for. We'll see where we stand at the end of the season We won tonight that's the main thing."

GALLERY

Available on Thursday.