Marseille’s Stellar Performance Crushes Rivals St Etienne, Solidifying Their Hold on Second Place

Olympique de Marseille triumphed over Saint-Étienne with an impressive 5-1 victory, marking the first time in history they have beaten their rivals in five consecutive matches. This dominant display not only secured three crucial points but also expanded their gap over third-placed OGC Nice to nine points.

With the aim of solidifying their position in the automatic UEFA Champions League qualifying spots, Marseille faced off against Saint-Étienne in the third-most frequently contested fixture in Ligue 1 history.

It was no surprise that Marseille, sitting at the top end of the table, began the match strongly. They thought they had grabbed an early lead when Leonardo Balerdi scored with a header from a corner kick.

However, following a VAR review, the goal was disallowed due to a foul on Gautier Larsonneur in the build-up.

Saint-Étienne failed to take heed of their fortunate escape, soon finding themselves at a disadvantage when new signing Amine Gouiri netted his first goal for the club with a stunning strike from the edge of the box, flying into the top corner to make it 1-0.

This left the visitors in a challenging position, especially as they had yet to secure an away win in the league this season. Their best opportunity in the first half fell to Benjamin Bouchouari, whose strong shot tested Geronimo Rulli, but the Argentine goalkeeper matched it well, ensuring the score remained 1-0 at half-time.

After a subdued conclusion to the first half, the second period erupted into action when Mickael Nade was penalised for handball in the area after a VAR check.

Mason Greenwood confidently stepped up to convert the penalty, marking his 15th goal of the season.

Following this setback, Saint-Étienne’s defence fell apart, allowing Quentin Merlin to take a shot on goal from close range, which Larsonneur deflected directly into the path of Michael Murillo for an effortless tap-in.

The situation then deteriorated for the visitors, who conceded two goals within a span of two minutes.

A straightforward pass through the middle from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg put Gouiri through on goal, and he coolly secured his brace with a clever finish.

Marseille continued to capitalise, with a defensive lapse gifting an unmarked Adrien Rabiot a simple tap-in from an Amar Dedic cross.

Saint-Étienne finally offered their travelling fans something to celebrate in the 79th minute, as Lucas Stassin finished off a well-executed move for a consolation goal.

This goal would be the last of the match, with the hosts comfortably managing the remainder of the game to secure a 5-1 victory. As a result, Marseille now sits seven points behind league leaders PSG, having played one match more.