Marseille Climbs into Ligue 1 Top Three Following Win Against Last-placed Metz

Following a recent slump in form that saw Marseille’s hold on a UEFA Champions League qualification place loosen, a clash at home against the struggling Metz provided the perfect platform to revitalise their season.

Les Phocéens made a fantastic start, taking the lead just shy of the 15-minute mark.

As Metz pushed forward for a corner, they were caught out on the break, with Mason Greenwood threading the ball through to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who dispatched a powerful shot into the top-left corner even as he lost his balance.

Aubameyang thought he had doubled his tally just after the half-hour mark, racing onto Quinten Timber’s through ball and rounding keeper Pape Sy to slot the ball home, but his effort was ruled offside by a narrow margin.

The home side dominated the first half completely, yet Metz nearly levelled just before the break when Gauthier Hein’s strike struck the post.

Upon the resumption of play, Marseille took off where they left off, scoring their second goal in a fashion similar to the opener.

A corner for Metz swiftly led to a counterattack for Marseille, with Greenwood again orchestrating the move before assisting Igor Paixão, who executed a delightful chip over Sy.

However, the two-goal advantage lasted mere minutes before Giorgi Tsitaishvili found space in the Marseille area after cutting in from the right, and his shot slipped through the legs of Gerónimo Rulli.

Habib Beye’s side continued to press for more goals as they sought to secure the win, with Aubameyang denied from a tight angle and Timber firing just over the crossbar.

The third goal finally came in stoppage time, with Amine Gouiri providing a perfect assist for Hamed Traorè, who scored to secure all three points for Marseille. However, Beye will be concerned about his team’s failure to convert more opportunities.

In the end, this fourth victory since Beye took charge keeps Marseille firmly in the mix for UEFA Champions League football next season. For Metz, however, the situation is dire, sitting eight points away from the relegation play-off position with just five matches left, making relegation to Ligue 2 increasingly likely.