Marseille 3-1 Lens | Nwaneri Nets on Debut as OM Overpower Rivals
Olympique de Marseille kept their Ligue 1 title hopes alive with a dominant 3-1 victory over RC Lens at a rocking Stade Vélodrome. On a night that will be remembered for a dream debut, Roberto De Zerbi’s side leapfrogged back into the top three, ending Lens’ impressive ten-game winning streak.
The Perfect Start: Gouiri and the New Boy
Marseille didn’t waste a second. Just 3 minutes in, Amine Gouiri opened the scoring after a slick interchange with Igor Paixão, clipping the ball over the goalkeeper to set the tone.
The headlines, however, belonged to Ethan Nwaneri. Making his debut just 24 hours after arriving on loan from Arsenal, the 18-year-old doubled the lead in the 13th minute. Picking the ball up in his own half, Nwaneri drove at the Lens defense before cutting onto his left foot and sweeping a clinical 20-yard finish into the bottom corner.
Second Half: Closing it Out
Lens, who had been in relentless form coming into this weekend, struggled to cope with Marseille’s aggressive press. While they enjoyed more possession after the break, the OM backline—marshaled by Pierre-Emile Højbjerg in a deep role—remained resolute.
The victory was all but sealed in the 75th minute. Timothy Weah beat his man on the right wing and fired a low cross into the path of Gouiri, who tapped home his second of the night. Lens managed a late consolation through Rayan Fofana in the 85th minute, but it did little to dampen the spirits of the Marseille faithful.
The Stats That Matter
Final Score: Marseille 3 – 1 RC Lens
Possession: Marseille 54% – 46% Lens
Shots on Target: Marseille 5 – 2 Lens
Table Impact: Marseille move to 3rd
place (38 points), now just five points behind Lens and seven behind PSG.
Manager’s Reaction
Roberto De Zerbi was full of praise for his new recruit:
”To play like that after one training session shows incredible personality. Ethan [Nwaneri] has the quality we were missing between the lines. It was a complete performance from the whole team against a very strong opponent.”
What’s Next?
Marseille shift their focus to the Champions League as they travel to Belgium to face Club Brugge this Wednesday. Domestically, they look to carry this momentum into next weekend’s clash against Paris FC.
