Beaten by Nice last weekend, OM returned to victory this Thursday at the expense of AEK Athens. With a decisive Vitinha.
Gennaro Gattuso had warned him: to earn his place on the pitch, Vitinha had to do more, in all areas of the game – especially defensively. Holder this Thursday in the Europa League, then preferred to Aubameyang in a three-way attack also made up of Harit and Ndiaye and while the Italian coach had decided to strengthen his midfield with the Veretout-Kondogbia-Rongier trio, the young Portuguese striker responded to AEK Athens.
It was he who opened the scoring in the first period, admirably served by a Clauss who was always so precious for the Marseillais (1-0, 27e). And it was him again after the break, while Pineda had just equalized for the Greeks (1-1, 53e), was able to cause the opposing goalkeeper to commit a foul in the penalty area, and the latter to be sent off. All for a penalty transformed by Harit (2-1, 59e). Veretout also closed the score on a penalty after a clumsy intervention by Amrabat on Lodi (3-1, 69e).
At the helm of the group
In the final minutes of regulation time, Sarr thought he added to the score but his achievement was invalidated via VAR for offside (86e). No matter, the essentials are acquired for OM, who after two draws against Ajax (3-3) and Brighton (2-2), take control of their European group – except for the Lanciers d ‘Amsterdam in front of the Seagulls in the evening. To be confirmed in two weeks in Athens.
