MARSEILLE, France — In the ongoing battle for dominance in Ligue 1, both Marseille and Monaco had opportunities to apply pressure on league leaders Paris Saint-Germain during their respective matches on Saturday, but ultimately, they fell short.
Marseille was in a strong position until Lille struck back in the 87th minute to level the score at 1-1, extending their unbeaten streak across all competitions to 16 games. Meanwhile, Monaco faced a frustrating goalless draw against Reims that compounded their struggles. As a result, Marseille held on to the second position in the league table, but only above Monaco due to goal difference. Both teams find themselves trailing PSG by four points, who are set to play against a rising Lyon side on Sunday.
At Stade Velodrome, Marseille took an early lead in the 17th minute following a well-orchestrated team play. After a quick exchange, Luis Henrique played a pass to Adrien Rabiot on the right flank, who then delivered a low cross to Quentin Merlin. Merlin made a clever feint to trick a defender before firing home with his left foot.
However, Lille equalized through a header from Bafodé Diakité, who capitalized on a free kick delivered by Rémy Cabella.
Lille’s impressive streak of nine wins and seven draws is now recognized as the second-longest unbeaten run in the club’s history, as noted by Opta statistics. “We executed our game plan effectively, focusing on curtailing their short passes in the center while utilizing the flanks and pushing for depth,” stated Lille’s coach Bruno Genesio. “Given how we performed, leaving without at least a point would have felt unjust. Our approach was followed to perfection.”
The match ended on a sour note for Marseille, as Pol Lirola was issued a straight red card for a reckless challenge on André Gomes during added time.
Lille secured the fourth position in the league, trailing Marseille by three points.
Monaco faced its own difficulties post their 3-0 defeat against Arsenal in the Champions League earlier in the week. In their match against Reims, they nearly conceded a goal in the 51st minute when Oumar Diakité’s forceful shot hit the crossbar. Monaco’s best scoring opportunity came in the 77th minute when Takumi Minamino found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf, yet he failed to find the net. The Japanese midfielder also had another chance in added time, but his shot soared over the bar.
With injuries affecting their squad, Monaco has struggled recently, managing to secure only one win in their last five competitive matches. “It’s disappointing as we arrived here aiming for three points,” lamented midfielder Eliesse Ben Seghir. “It has been a challenging week for us.”
In another match, Lens and Auxerre played to a 2-2 draw.