The poster for the 16th day was heading towards a “good 0-0”, but Mason Greenwood decided otherwise. Found at the penalty spot by Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg, the Englishman scored his 11th goal of the season in the Championship in the 82nd minute of play. Under pressure and ejected from the podium after the victory snatched by Lille at Auxerre (4-3), the Marseillais had to win to regain third place in Ligue 1. They were helped in their endeavor by the referee of the game, who refused two goals to Monaco, including one quite inexplicable.
As usual, the Vélodrome was hot. Boiling to the point of chilling his own players and the Monegasques since the kick-off was delayed by twelve minutes due to the smoke generated by smoke bombs, which took a long time to dissipate. From the outset, the two teams moved quickly towards the opposing goal.
ASM finished the first period stronger. If Geronimo Rulli shone again, Höjbjerg had to replace his goalkeeper in order to save an attempt from Folarin Balogun (43rd) on his line. These intentions did not prevent the scoreboard from remaining immaculate until the break.
A goal strangely refused
The second act left on the same tone. Lamine Camara’s superb victorious sequence was strangely refused by François Letexier (52nd) – Balogun was certainly in an offside position, without interfering in the action. The Phocaeans responded, Thilo Kehrer saved the Rock players, but the latter continued to be sharp in transition, taking advantage of an opposing block cut in two.
In the races of Camara and Maghnes Akliouche, Roberto De Zerbi responded with the entry of Paixao on the hour mark. The match turned into a game of table tennis. Greenwood increased his attempts (68th, 71st). Takumi Minamino the bad choices, starting with this failed face-to-face in front of Rulli, which could have allowed Monaco to open the scoring in the 74th.
Monaco scored again, but the referees again ruled Balogun for offside – clearly visible, this time. In the process, Greenwood emerged, acclaimed by an audience for whom the accusations of domestic violence and attempted rape – the charges have since been dropped – preceding his arrival seemed far away. Marseille trembled in the face of the latest opposing raids, but will spend the holidays well on the podium. ASM will have to settle for 7th place.
