The grand finale. OM managed to beat Strasbourg 4-3, while at the same time Nancy lost to Rennes. The dream scenario, which sends Marseille into the preliminary round of the Champions League!

OM, what a club! 19th a third of the way through the season, Marseille have finished up on the podium, qualified for the preliminary round of the Champions League. The evening was a mirror image of the season. An emotional rollercoaster. Everything seemed to be over when Strasbourg, playing without any complex were in the lead and Niang went off injured. Then Nasri and Cissé (with two goals) turned things around. Unforgettable!

It is for nights like this that we love football. When the suspense stops you breathing. When each emotion is stronger than the last one. Joy, anger, sadness and happiness. And when they come in that order it’s all the better.
The Vélodrome and OM went through an evening that was the image of the season. A hopeful beginning, then doubts and finally a barnstorming finish.
Our impressions on the game were quite contrasted. When OM « hit » crossbar and post before opening the scoring through Niang after only four minutes, the perspective of an offensive festival started growing. This idea ran, but was quickly chased away by a dose of worry. Fanchone, then Gameiro brought it to the boil. And as Nancy were leading, things started looking pretty bleak. But while there is life there is hope. With hindsight, that could be Marseille’s slogan of the season.
But, another bit of tough luck was going to annoy everyone. A clash of heads between Niang and Cassard left the two players on the ground. OM had lost their top scorer, just when they needed goals …
Then luck changed camps. OM had literally been camped in their opponent’s box for the first 5 minutes of the game, after that they had barely made it there. Until stoppage time at the end of the first half. Nasri found Cissé, who was fouled by Puydebois. We spoke earlier of success and luck. The second of destinys actions was an imperfect save by the keeper from Cissé’s penalty. He played the ball directly back to the centre-forward, who instinctively headed the ball home (2-2).
As an equalizer was not enough for OM, they quickly added to it with a third goal. Valbuena won the ball on the left of the field and forced Puydebois into hitting the ball away. Grandin picked up the ball from the clearance, lifted his head and put in a inch perfect cross for Nasri to fire home (3-2, 45th+5). Phenomenal.
Especially as the rumour doing the rounds was that Rennes had had the good idea of equalising against Nancy. The Hitchcock style scenario hadn’t quite reached its end though. So much happened in the second half …
Thanks to Mika Pagis, Rennes finished by taking the lead against Nancy (from 1-1 to 2-3). But yet another turnaround of situation was going to happen. To general surprise, Zenke put « the ambitious Marseille  » and « already relegated Strasbourg  » on level pegging (3-3). There was still 15 minutes left to go. Were OM finally going to be regretting where they had so dreamed beforehand?

The team went into all out attack. They had but one obsession  : scoring the goal that would qualify them. So when Cheyrou played Cissé in perfectly, the whole ground held its breath. The striker as well. He took his time lining up and then firing off his shot. His effort ended up in the net to defeaning roars and great joy (4-3, 78th).
A second penalty taken by M’Bami and saved by Puydebois let out a little more adrenalin. Right up to the final explosion of joy, magnified by the sound system playing the hymn of the Champions League …

Laurent Oreggia

Photos : Yannick Parienti