Marseille Secures Dramatic Win Over Lyon as Monaco Matches PSG at Ligue 1 Summit

In a thrilling Ligue 1 encounter, Olympique de Marseille managed to overcome an early setback to secure a 3-2 victory over Olympique Lyonnais at the Groupama Stadium in Decines. The match, which took place on Sunday, September 22, 2024, was marked by last-minute drama as both teams showcased their resilience.

Marseille’s early progress was hampered by a red card shown to Leonardo Balerdi, who received his marching orders in the fifth minute following a second yellow card offense. Nevertheless, the visitors showed formidable spirit, even as Lyon’s Duje Caleta-Car scored against his former club in the 53rd minute with a well-timed header.

The match took several turns, with Marseille manager Igor Tudor’s side equalizing in the 69th minute through Pol Lirola, following a setup by winger Luis Henrique. Later, in the 82nd minute, Ulisses Garcia headed home from Lirola’s cross, putting Marseille ahead.

As the match edged towards its conclusion, Lyon’s Rayan Cherki equaled the score with a skillful backheel in stoppage time. However, it was Marseille’s summer recruit Jonathan Rowe who sealed the victory, taking advantage of a defensive error to score the decisive goal.

Meanwhile, AS Monaco retained their unbeaten status with a convincing 3-1 win over Le Havre AC. The victory, following their midweek triumph against FC Barcelona in the Champions League, maintains Monaco’s level with Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain on points but trails them on goal difference.

Monaco’s Folarin Balogun and Eliesse Ben Seghir were instrumental, each finding the back of the net in the second half, boosting the team’s morale after Daler Kuzyayev had brought the match to parity following Jordan Teze’s early goal.

In other matches, Angers drew 1-1 with FC Nantes, while Stade Brestois 29 celebrated a 2-0 win against Toulouse FC, and Montpellier HSC claimed a 3-2 victory over AJ Auxerre, showcasing the competitive spirit within the league.