SOCHAUX 2-1 OM: NOTHING GOES RIGHT FOR OM
27/10/07 - Sochaux 2-1 OM
Two own goals, from Zubar and Bonnart, and Cissé’s penalty saved; OM had a nightmare in Sochaux despite Niang’s opening the scoring.
1-1 Zubar (31’, o.g.)
2-1 Bonnart (51’, o.g.)
Two own goals, a missed penalty and hitting the woodwork; such was OM’s fate on Saturday night. Nothing went right for the Olympiens. Except, perhaps, the fact that Niang opened the scoring – but then everything turned sour. After several fine saves, Mandanda was twice beaten by his own team-mates, and the defeat was sealed.
Things could have turned around in the 75th minute when OM was awarded a penalty for Richert’s foul on Niang. But the Doubiste keeper anticipated well and captured Cissé’s shot, effectively securing his team all 3 points.
A game that turns around because of an own goal: that’s part of football, as they say. But two…?
The two disasters wiped out the advantage that Niang’s strike had afforded his side. The Senegalese latched onto Zubar’s long diagonal pass and found himself clean through, making no mistake and side-footing home (0-1, 9’).
At the start of the second half, in exactly the same way, Bonnart also beat Steve Mandanda’s best defences, only this time it was Erding who provided the cross (2-1, 51’).
A shot from Niang, narrowly over the bar, reinvigorated the Olympiens, for whom Cissé had come on at the break. Samir Nasri, who took a knock to the ankle, was replaced by Valbuena in the 68th minute.
In the closing stages, OM rallied and put their hearts into it, playing in a well-organised manner, in an effort to equalise. But the goal wouldn’t come, in a way that was symptomatic of the whole evening for OM. Cissé hit the post (73’) after a breathtakingly fast charge into enemy territory. Then the France international watched as Richert saved his penalty shot (75’) – OM’s last chance. “We beat ourselves,”, rued Eric Gerets on OMtv.
- This defeat plunges OM once again into the relegation zone, back to 18th place, ahead of Lens, who have 2 matches in hand
- The only positive was the return of Samir Nasri, who played 68 minutes
- OM’s next match is on Tuesday night, in the Coupe de la Ligue against Metz (21:00 at the Vél’)
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CSC 31'
