OM qualified for the final of the Coupe de France after defeating Nantes 3-0 (Ribéry, Maoulida and Cissé). OM will now take on Sochaux, on May 12 at the Stade de France!

3-0. A great scoreline for a great match. There was plenty to cheer about, but also plenty of hope that Olympians will this year succeed in adding another trophy to the collection. On Wednesday’s performance, they deserve to! And they have booked the club a trip back to the Stade de France.
Even if, to general surprise, it was Nantes that took the initiative at the start of the match. The Virage Sud had only barely found their seats when Les Canaris sent a scare around the ground as Cédric Carrasso had to get down well to a Diallo shot.
And the response was immediate on the part of OM players: first Niang (from close range) and then Taiwo (from long range) called Barthez into action.
But that opening minute warning was not to be a one-off event. Nantes seemed intent on keeping their promise that they weren’t going to go down without a fight. And more than one heart in the Vél skipped a beat when Da Rocha found the woodwork in the 20th minute.
But there is no better way to defend than to attack and in the 27th minute Nasri crossed for Maoulida who headed back for Niang – but his shot was too weak… But the goal finally came a minute later. Franck Ribéry let fly with a fabulous 20m effort which left Barthez to watch on as the ball flew into the top corner (1-0). A brilliant strike, reminiscent of the Goal of the Season he scored at the Vél in November 2005 against… Nantes!
Yet despite the beauty of the goal, Les Canaris were not easily discouraged. And the equaliser almost arrived on the stroke of half-time as Payet’s shot whistled just too high.
Just 45 minutes from the final, OM was dealt a reality check but a second was to follow when Ribéry was substituted by Modeste M’Bami suffering from a sore thigh – injured during the warm-up.
But the rest of the evening was to roll on smoothly for the Phocéen club and the 55,000 supporters present in the ground… Looking to hit Nantes on the counter, Olympique de Marseille was reaching its crescendo – as the second goal proved witness. Pagis headed the ball down to Nasri who fought hard to feed through Maoulida and the striker fired home between the legs of Barthez (2-0, 55’).
The third goal was equally the result of OM’s new tactical approach. Let Nantes come forward and then hit them with venom and ferocity on the break! Having come on to the applause and cheers of the Vélodrome faithful just moments earlier, Djibril Cissé anticipated Cubilier’s underhit back past, bore down and goal and beat Barthez at the second attempt (3-0, 77’).
The final minutes played out amidst scenes of unbounded joy… like a premonition of the passion which will engulf the city from now until May 12…