In character, OM hangs on to Ajax!

It is against the wall that great teams are born. Before a series of passes which will take them at high altitude from Paris to Brighton, the players of Olympique de Marseille only had the spring of pride to forget their worries. This beautiful European Cup poster looked like a branch to hold on to. Because Marseille became in a few hours an erupting volcano which ignited on its own, a divide between the management and a public also divided, between pressure and bluffing.

In this atmosphere, finding the green rectangle remains the best therapy. Especially since it was difficult to approach this match in worse condition, mentally already, but also structurally, since at the kick-off of this first Europa League match, the group was supervised by an improvised staff in the emergency after Marcelino’s resignation.

For Jacques “Pancho” Abardonado, a child of the club, the lever was there, but the mission promised to be difficult. The interim coach had made a strong choice by swapping Marcelino’s classic and contested 4-4-2 with an unprepared 4-3-3 – due to lack of time – but more in line with the qualities of his players. Aubameyang was supported at the forefront by Ndiaye and Harit, while Ounahi returned to his midfield role as in the Moroccan selection, here alongside Rongier and Kondogbia.

OM didn’t give up

Because Ajax remains Ajax, a trip to Amsterdam is always scary on paper. Carried by its European culture and its glorious past, the Dutch team, with its four cups with big ears, still broadcasts this ideal of total football. But the reality was quite different. In a Johan Cruijff Arena closed like an egg, the 12th in Eredivie really made his ranking, displaying defensive weaknesses for a long time and a lack of ambition in the game which would surely have offended the great Johan, right up there.

Despite all the headwinds, the Marseillais therefore delivered a very courageous match in the current circumstances. And we don’t know if they had gathered the day before to watch Lens, but we would swear that they were inspired by the Sang et Or in constructing their result. Because everything started really badly for OM. Borges hurt the first time by going behind Mbemba’s back to adjust Pau Lopez (1-0, 9th). A counter, then a set piece – a corner in this case – allowed this ingenious team to lead 2-0 after Berghuis’ victorious recovery in a forest of legs (2-0, 9th).

HAS This stage of history, the pill was difficult to swallow for OM, frankly. But a team at the bottom of the hole is a dangerous team. And some players showed up to turn things around in the storm. Omnipresent between the lines, Harit symbolized this strength of character. With his vista, the Moroccan international was at the origin of a good number of situations that his teammates have long harvested – in particular Aubameyang (5th, 19th) or Ndiaye, unlucky (29th). It was Clauss who scored this 3rd important goal in a match by unleashing a cross missile under the bar after a serve from Harit (2-1, 23rd). Then Aubameyang then put his head back together by instinctively exploiting a second serve from the Moroccan (2-2, 38th).

The worst part is that OM started the second act like the first, with great defensive generosity. On a real highlight from Ajax, Taylor gave the Dutch the advantage by perfectly taking a cross from the right (3-2, 52nd). Everything had to be done again for the Marseillais, who then threw their forces into the battle, without calculation, leaving some ammunition for their adversary. And if Ajax did not benefit from it, the Abardonado gang was finally rewarded. After several heated situations, Aubameyang, long frustrating and frustrated, reminded himself of the attacker he was by unleashing a superb curling shot to allow OM to equalize (3-3, 78th). The score has no longer changed. In these times, this seems like a small victory. As for whether this evening will be foundational for the future, Marseille will be decided very quickly.