European Cups: OM win and pass, Rennes stalls and Monaco sinks
Olympique de Marseille snatched a 2-1 victory in Basel and, after that obtained in the first leg at the Vélodrome (2-1), validates its ticket for the quarter-finals of the Europa League Conference. Rennes, beaten 2-0 at Leicester in the first leg, will not join them there, despite their 2-1 victory over the 2017 English champions. As for Monaco, still stuck in their bad dynamics, they are leaving the Europa League in a 1-1 draw without glory, a week after the setback conceded to Braga (2-0).
OM winner in pain
In the white-hot atmosphere of Parc Saint-Jacques, OM had to fight a bitter battle against FC Basel, stimulated by the but scored at the Vélodrome in the first leg (2-1). Without Payet, nor Milik left on the bench at the start, OM were enterprising but missed the opportunity to take shelter when it presented itself. his side, Bakambu impeccably launched Harit in the axis of the field, which was lowered by Burger when he presented himself against Basel goalkeeper Lindner. Unfortunately for the Olympians, Harit saw Esty repelled and Bakambu failed to regain his left foot (35′). Bad luck for the Phocaeans, the referee did not see fit to exclude Burger, contenting himself with issuing a yellow card.
In the second half, the Sampaoli players seemed to take the lead but, on the hour mark, Dan Ndoye appeared at the 3rd post and scored from close range with a header, putting the two teams level on aggregate. of the two games (1-0, 62nd).
In the aftermath, Milik came into play (63rd) but the salvation came from Under, forgotten at the far post and served by Gerson (75th), whose recovery from the inside of the left foot hit the mark, flush with the Lindner post (1-1, 75th).
In additional time, Rongier with a nice shot from inside the right of 16 meters, improved Marseille’s success (1-2, 90th + 3).
OM won ric-rac as often but OM won and therefore played in a European quarter-final. Enough to boost the confidence of the 2nd in Ligue 1, three days before welcoming Nice, 3rd, and opponent of a different caliber than Basel, at the Vélodrome on Sunday.
Still priced for Rennes
Roazhon Park was boiling and the Bretons firmly believed in the possibility of Stade Rennais reaching their first European quarter-final, despite the two goals behind in the first leg to fill. Bourigeaud made this scenario even more believable, scoring quickly, in the empty goal following a strong cross from the left signed Terrier (1-0, 8th). Dominating, Rennes had come halfway at the break. Unfortunately after the rest, Bruno Genesio’s men returned to square one, after Wesley Fofana, the former Stéphanois, equalized with a header from a corner, getting the better of Aguerd (1-1, 51st). Tait’s goal, on a pass from Guirassy, a quarter of an hour (2-1, 76th) from the end would prove useless despite the rabid forcing of the Rouge et Noir late in the game. The first quarter is not yet for this year…
In Monaco, the stakes are (already) made…
Philippe Clément’s team, beaten 2-0 in Braga in the first leg, did not allow the threat of a turnaround at the Louis II stadium to hover for long. After twenty short minutes, the Monegasques had already conceded a goal and given up on qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Europa League. A strike from Castro was repelled by Nübel but Ruiz, in continuity, scored with the right foot with a tricky and countered long shot (0-1, 19th). The equalization of Disasi (1-1, 90th), with a header at the very end of the game, does not change much in the matter.
Ejected from the Europa League after leaving the Coupe de France, in Nantes on penalties in the semi-finals, left behind in the League (8th 9 points from the podium), Monaco may only have a season of goals to run that. Otherwise perhaps a hypothetical 5th qualifying place for Europe, currently occupied by Strasbourg, 6 points ahead of ASM. But the players of the Rock will first have to remobilize to hope to take off again.