Home SPORTS Ligue 1: Marseille Cruise Past Saint-Étienne with Emphatic 5-1 Victory

Ligue 1: Marseille Cruise Past Saint-Étienne with Emphatic 5-1 Victory

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Marseille secured a dominant 5-1 victory over Saint-Étienne, with Amine Gouiri scoring a brace and extending their lead over third-placed OGC Nice to nine points.



Olympique de Marseille solidified their grip on second place in the Ligue 1 standings with a resounding 5-1 victory over Saint-Étienne. This triumph marked the fifth consecutive win for Marseille against their rivals, a first in the history of their encounters. The three points earned from this win have extended Marseille's lead over third-placed OGC Nice to nine points.


Marseille sought to strengthen their position in the automatic UEFA Champions League qualification spots, and their dominant performance against Saint-Étienne was a significant step in that direction. Given the significant gap between the two teams in the league table, it was unsurprising that Marseille started the match on the front foot. They thought they had taken an early lead when Leonardo Balerdi headed the ball into the net from a corner, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review due to a foul on Gautier Larsonneur in the build-up.


Saint-Étienne failed to capitalize on their lucky escape and soon found themselves trailing. New signing Amine Gouiri scored his first goal for Marseille with a stunning strike from the edge of the area, which soared into the top corner to give his team a 1-0 lead.




The task ahead of Saint-Étienne was daunting, given their winless away record in the league this season. Their best opportunity in the first half fell to Benjamin Bouchouari, who unleashed a powerful shot that Geronimo Rulli expertly saved, maintaining Marseille's 1-0 lead at halftime.


The second half began dramatically, with Mickael Nade being penalized for handball in the area following a VAR review. Mason Greenwood stepped up to take the penalty and converted it with ease, scoring his 15th goal of the season and doubling Marseille's lead. Saint-Étienne's defense was in disarray, and they soon conceded again when Quentin Merlin's effort was palmed by Gautier Larsonneur into the path of Michael Murillo, who scored with a simple tap-in.


The visitors' woes continued as they conceded two goals in quick succession. A well-weighted pass from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg released Amine Gouiri, who calmly chipped the ball over Larsonneur to secure his brace. Marseille's dominance was further emphasized when Adrien Rabiot scored with an unmarked tap-in at the back post, courtesy of an Amar Dedic cross.




Saint-Étienne finally provided their traveling fans with something to cheer about in the 79th minute. A well-crafted move culminated in Lucas Stassin scoring a consolation goal. This proved to be the final goal of the match, as Marseille comfortably saw out the remainder of the game to secure a resounding 5-1 victory. This win leaves Marseille seven points behind leaders PSG, having played one game more.



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