The 22nd match day of Ligue 1 saw Stade Brestois rally against Olympique de Marseille at Stade Francis Le Blé, pulling an unexpected victory despite playing with ten men.
The scoreline read 1-0 in favor of Brest, with the only goal of the match coming late in the 89th minute from Pierre Lees-Melou. This victory was no small feat for Brest, who were a man short for the last 30 minutes after Mounié was sent off in the 60th minute.
Marseille’s Lackluster Performance
Marseille's performance has been less than stellar at the start of 2024. The team was seeking redemption and looked to recover from their poor form in their match against Brest. They even had an early chance to score when there seemed to be a missed penalty opportunity involving Ndiaye in the 16th minute.
The first half saw zero successful shots from Marseille, indicating a lack of attacking initiative. The team's performance worsened, failing to capitalize on the player advantage post Mounié's expulsion.
Brest’s Remarkable Display
On the other hand, Brest displayed a commendable performance. Despite playing one man short after Mounié's expulsion, they managed to score a late goal. Lees-Melou didn't just score the winning goal, he dribbled past the entire Marseille defense to do so.
Shift in Standings
The current state of affairs isn't looking promising for Marseille, having not won any matches in L1 this year. This extends their winless streak to six matches, leaving them seated at the 9th place, six points adrift of the European places.
Brest, conversely, has maintained an unbeaten streak in L1 since November. This victory over Marseille catapults them up to the 2nd place, overtaking Nice, Lille, and Monaco in the process.