Instrumental in Mamadou Niang’s goal, Karim Ziani made a “promising return”, in the words of Pape Diouf, at the Stadium Nord de Villeneuve d’Ascq. We take a closer look.
Against Lille, it was the Karim Ziani we saw in the pre-season preparation matches on display, a figure seen only intermittently since then in games like the victory over Liverpool and the first match against Besiktas. “Karim made a promising return,” remarked Pape Diouf just after the match at the Villeneuve d'Ascq, his first start in a almost a month, since the game against Lorient on November 3. Dazzling and deceptive with his dribbling and runs, he was instrumental in Niang’s goal, firing the powerful skidding shot that Tony Sylva could only block into the path of the in-form Niang, who made no mistake in the 32nd minute. Before that, he had executed an astute back-heel for Valbuena who completed the one-two, launching him into a run, a feint, a check and then a curling shot that evoked his best form at Sochaux. The kind of form that quickly caught the attention of OM’s scouts
Positioned as a right-sided attacking midfielder at the Stadium Nord, the Algerian international sent in numerous excellent crosses that often found their target, like the one for André Ayew after just five minutes. But he’s much more than a crossing machine; he frequently cut inside or dropped deep to win balls and fortify the OM engine room. Thus, as the game progressed, it was promising to the excellent and highly technical understanding developing between Ziani and Mathieu Valbuena: the precision passing between these two players was often the genesis of OM’s attacking moves. Instrumental in the first goal, he only narrowly missed creating a second. His pinpoint cross for compatriot Salim Arrache in the 64th minute deserved a better finish but Sylva was happy to pounce on the ball. Replaced by Djibril Cissé, Karim could savour a successful return to the first team. “He did the job he was asked to do with a lot of dynamism and heart. It’s a real positive,” concluded Assistant Coach Dominique Cuperly.
