Didier Deschamps’ Marseille side continued their strong start to the league campaign by beating a determined Le Mans side 2-1, at the Stade Omnisports Léon-Bollée on Saturday.
The match which was a quiet affair until the 13th minute, when OM barraged in front thanks to a goal from Mamadou Niang, who latched onto Brandao’s flick-on and battered the ball into the top corner of the net to score the opening goal.
Lucho Gonzalez was making his bow in les Phoceens’ colours, and he felt he should’ve been awarded a penalty when his shot struck the arm of Cyriaque Louvion, though referee Chapron waved away the claims.
Brandao would play a pass that allowed Niang to strike dangerously for goal again, though the Senegalese star was denied by Didier Ovono, who would also capture an effort from the Brazilian prior to half-time. Benoit Cheyrou failed to threaten, though, sending a shot over from the box’s edge.
Anthony Le Tallec had posed OM questions throughout the first half and he came close to an equaliser with a near post header from a Sebastien Corchia corner that scraped a coat of paint of the goalframe. Corchia would go it alone in stoppage time, but Mandanda tipped his effort over, though the referee indicated a goal kick.
Marseille seemed to have made a good start to the second period, but Anthony Le Tallec woke them with a shot that was turned onto the post by Steve Mandanda. Three minutes later the guests should have grabbed the lead, with Brandao setting up Niang for a seemingly simply finish, but the striker pushed his shot wide from a great position just in front of goal.
And such a miss would be punished only moments later, when Modibo Maiga bicycle-kicked the ball into the net after yet more impressive work from Le Tallec. Sixty seconds later it could have been 2-1 Le Mans, but Mandanda impressively saved from the player who had only just before beaten him.
MUC’s good work was swiftly undone, though. They fell asleep at a Cheyrou free kick, allowing Brandao to move in and head home free of marking. This moment proved decisive as Le Mans were unable to fashion another real chance in the remaining 20 minutes.