Ligue1: Marseille crashes at home against Ajaccio in difficulty
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Marseille lost for the first time in Ligue 1 this season, losing 2-1 at home to Ajaccio, who started the day in last place.
Marseille came down to earth after crushing Sporting Lisbon 4-1 in midweek for their first Champions League victory of the season.
In the midst of a demanding race, with a return game in Lisbon on Wednesday and a trip to Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain next Sunday, coach Igor Tudor has made seven changes to the starting line-up which beat Sporting.
His team took the lead after 15 minutes. Captain Dimitri Payet takes the ball with authority when the referee whistles a hand from Ajaccio defender Cédric Avinel.
The 35-year-old playmaker converted to score his 100th Ligue 1 goal, 16 years after his first for Nantes.
According to Opta statisticians, he is the first player to reach both the 100 goals and 100 assists mark in Ligue 1. Opta credits him with 112 assists.
Payet and the public at the Vélodrome were delighted. Happiness did not last long.
"We started the game well, but inexplicably after our first goal, we eased off a bit and they knew how to take advantage of it," said Payet.
Ajaccio striker Bevic Moussiti-Oko equalized with a low shot from the left, his first Ligue 1 goal in the 25th minute.
Ajaccio had scored just five goals in nine appearances before Saturday but got an assist when Argentina defender Leonardo Balerdi, who scored for Marseille on Tuesday, put the ball in his own net in the 47th minute .
Tudor then changed their entire attack, introducing Luis Suarez, Amine Harit and even former outcast Bamba Dieng, but the equalizer never came.
"We have a system where the coach rotates a lot, everyone has playing time, we're not going to complain about it, it's up to us to do our best when we're on the pitch" , said Payet.
Samuel Gigot's deflection was stopped by goalkeeper Benjamin Leroy 15 minutes from time and Ajaccio defended fiercely at the end.
Despite the defeat, Payet was happy to end his century.
"It's still an important step in a career, I had passed the 100 assists, I lacked this goal to make the double-double", he said, borrowing an expression from basketball . "It's a personal satisfaction."
Marseille remains second but could be overtaken by Lens and Lorient on Sunday.
The defeat allowed PSG to maintain their first place before their match in Reims on Saturday evening.
Ajaccio climbed to 18th in the 20-team league, but could be back last by the end of the weekend.
AFP
Please share this story:
Marseille lost for the first time in Ligue 1 this season, losing 2-1 at home to Ajaccio, who started the day in last place.
Marseille came down to earth after crushing Sporting Lisbon 4-1 in midweek for their first Champions League victory of the season.
In the midst of a demanding race, with a return game in Lisbon on Wednesday and a trip to Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain next Sunday, coach Igor Tudor has made seven changes to the starting line-up which beat Sporting.
His team took the lead after 15 minutes. Captain Dimitri Payet takes the ball with authority when the referee whistles a hand from Ajaccio defender Cédric Avinel.
The 35-year-old playmaker converted to score his 100th Ligue 1 goal, 16 years after his first for Nantes.
According to Opta statisticians, he is the first player to reach both the 100 goals and 100 assists mark in Ligue 1. Opta credits him with 112 assists.
Payet and the public at the Vélodrome were delighted. Happiness did not last long.
"We started the game well, but inexplicably after our first goal, we eased off a bit and they knew how to take advantage of it," said Payet.
Ajaccio striker Bevic Moussiti-Oko equalized with a low shot from the left, his first Ligue 1 goal in the 25th minute.
Ajaccio had scored just five goals in nine appearances before Saturday but got an assist when Argentina defender Leonardo Balerdi, who scored for Marseille on Tuesday, put the ball in his own net in the 47th minute .
Tudor then changed their entire attack, introducing Luis Suarez, Amine Harit and even former outcast Bamba Dieng, but the equalizer never came.
"We have a system where the coach rotates a lot, everyone has playing time, we're not going to complain about it, it's up to us to do our best when we're on the pitch" , said Payet.
Samuel Gigot's deflection was stopped by goalkeeper Benjamin Leroy 15 minutes from time and Ajaccio defended fiercely at the end.
Despite the defeat, Payet was happy to end his century.
"It's still an important step in a career, I had passed the 100 assists, I lacked this goal to make the double-double", he said, borrowing an expression from basketball . "It's a personal satisfaction."
Marseille remains second but could be overtaken by Lens and Lorient on Sunday.
The defeat allowed PSG to maintain their first place before their match in Reims on Saturday evening.
Ajaccio climbed to 18th in the 20-team league, but could be back last by the end of the weekend.
AFP
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