PLAYER RATINGS | Toulouse 2-3 Marseille: Nuno Tavares and Cengiz Ünder score in 5-goal thriller | OneFootball

Ligue 1 Gameweek 24, Sunday 19th February 2023

Marseille retain second place spot, 5 points behind PSG a week before another Classique clash next weekend thanks to a second half comeback with Mbemba, Ünder, and Tavares getting on the scoresheet. Dallinga and Onaiwu scored for Toulouse.

Les Violets struck frist through a quick-fire Dallinga finish past Lópes which signalled a positive first half for Toulouse who were compact and tight from the very beginning, Marseille struggling to break down mid-high bock. Marseille’s press was flat, and Igor Tudor’s side lacked intensity, looking nothing of the sort like the high-energy side we’ve come to get used to seeing in recent weeks.

Half-time came with a momentum change, as OM re-established themselves on the ball – aided by the positive addition of Ruslan Malinosksyi to the Olympian attack. This precipitated a quick turnaround by Igor Tudor’s side as Chancel Mbemba rocketed a first time finish into the roof of the net following a corner from the right side. Cengis Ünder fired in a volley to complete the comeback to the joy of the travelling supporters who turned out in numbers for the trip to the mid-Pyrenees region. Nuno Tavares followed up with a powerful piece of individual skill and a low finish past Dupé to take the game away from the home side. However, Ado Onaiwu struck his second Ligue 1 goal – a low driven effort to make it a nervy ending for Igor Tudor’s side.

TOULOUSE (2) – Dallinga, Onaiwu

Dupé, 6

Suazo, 5

Nicolaisen, 5

Rouault, 4

Desler, 4

Spierings 5

Van Den Boomen 6 – Brilliant first half performance, intelligent play alongside the experience of Van Den Boomen to shut down the midfield spaces for Marseille in the first half. The Dutchman struggled in the second half to impose himself in the same manner, but was positive in attacking play and still managed to create chances.

Dejaegere, 6

Ratão, 6

Dallinga, 6 –  Confident with a side-footed finish for his ninth Ligue 1 goal with the early opener for Les Violets but caused problems by holding up play and bringing the likes of Aboukhlal and Van den Boomen into the game.

Aboukhlal, 6 – Positive on the ball, picked it up in a variety of positions in the attacking phase of the game. However, he quietened down in the second period as Marseille picked up the pace and the majority of chances as they went on to win the match.

Others: Chaïbi 6, Genreau 5, Onaiwu 6, Hamulic, 5

MARSEILLE (3) – Mbemba, Ünder, Tavares

López, 6

Kolasinac, 5

Balerdi, 5

Mbemba, 6

Tavares, 6 – Sloppy on the ball in the first half and was never looking to trouble with his usual energy. His performance in the second period reflected that of the away side’s improved retention of the ball, and higher levels of intensity. The Portuguese wing-back was then able to offer himself as an outlet in the attack, but also looked solid in defensive positioning. A typical attacking performance from the Portuguese wing-back then ensued, with bustling energy and power being used to his full extent in his goal, with a clever low finish driven past Dupé to cap it off.

Veretout, 5

Rongier, 5

Clauss, 5

Ounahi, 3 – Simply couldn’t do enough in passing, finding space, and dribbling to outsmart what had been a masterful defensive performance from Toulouse’s midfield. Was outmuscled in a lot of duels, and it made a switch for Malinovksyi at half-time a glaringly obvious decision for Igor Tudor.

Ünder, 6 –  A hard working performance from the Turk, who still retained his general level when others dipped in the first half. His volley was taken well for Marseille’s second goal

Sánchez, 5 – Struggled to find spaces to get onto the ball in the first half, and was really compounded by a lack of service as OM struggled to assert themselves on the ball. Improved in the second period, combining well with Malinovskyi and the wing-backs

Malinovskyi 6 – Was the key catalyst and tactical piece to the Marseille puzzle which clicked for the Olympians in the second half, his passing and link-up play with Sánchez, Clauss, and Tavares allowed Tudor’s side to get on the ball and create chances to switch the momentum ahead of a quick-fire comeback.

GFFN | George Boxall