PLAYER RATINGS | Marseille 3-1 Metz: Aubameyang & Paixao on target as OM get back to winning ways | OneFootball

Olympqiue de Marseille got back to winning ways after their defeat against Monaco last weekend with a slender win over FC Metz to keep themselves in the race for a podium finish by the end of the season. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring before Igor Paixao’s lovely chip to double the lead just after the break. Yet Metz were competitive, with Georgi Ttsitaishvili’s finish and OM’s wastefulness in front of goal keeping the suspense until Junior Hamed Traoré’s injury time finish sealed all three points for Les Phocéens. THE MATCHAfter the nomination of former Orange CEO Stéphane Richard as the club’s new president in the morning, focus would have to return to the on-pitch task at hand, with a must-win fixture against Ligue 1’s bottom side FC Metz. In the early minutes OM dominated the ball as expected, and an error from the Metz backline sent Aubameyang one on one with Papa Sy, but the Gabon international’s strike came straight at the goalkeeper. Yet Aubameyang didn’t need another chance when he was slipped through on goal by Mason Greenwood after a quick counter on the transition, slipping but making enough contact to send the strike into the left corner of the net (13′). Gouiri then skied a glorious chance to make it two just minutes later, the Algerian drifting into plenty of space when Aubameyang’s low cross came.

The former Arsenal man was once again in the middle of all the action when Quinten Timber provided a slick ball for Aubameyang to latch onto, he then rounded the keeper and finished but Stephanie Frappart would heed her assistant’s flag for offside. Yet Metz had a huge chance just before the end of the first half when Guathier Hein’s strike from the edge of the box rattled Rulli’s left post as a big warning shot. Yet Habib Beye’s men would quickly grab that second goal, when Mason Greenwood’s deft through-ball with the outside of his foot found Igor Paixao’s run and the Brazilian completed a classy chip over Sy to double OM’s advantage (47′).

Yet that two-goal lead would last not even a minute, when Georgi Tsitaishvili weaved through the OM defence and his low effort couldn’t be saved by a Rulli who looked caught off guard (48′). From then on, it looked less like a foregone conclusion for Metz and more like a match which could swing wildly, with space that opened up for both sides. Rulli had to intervene to stop Jessy Deminguet from getting a strike on goal as the away side started building the pressure. Timber found himself in the box once again but the Dutchman blasted over the crossbar. With the suspense rising until injury time, the nervousness around the Vélodrome started to reappear: so many times this season have OM have conceded those late goals. There were signs, but Junior Hamed Traoré would put the result without doubt when Amine Gouiri served him a perfect ball to finish off the game in injury time and claim all three points. OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE PLAYER RATINGS

Geronimo Rulli – 4

Benjamin Pavard – 5Facundo Medina – 3In recent weeks the Argentine has seemed erratic at times, as if the liberty of a wider decision has allowed him to get more cards and make more mistakes on and off the ball. His attitude is right. Leonardo Balerdi – 5

The Argentine started the match well, with two clean interceptions to kick off the opening minutes. From then on, he appeared to be back to Balerdi which up until recently was Marseille captain – assertive, dominant, comfortable with the ball at his feet. 

Timothy Weah – 4Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – 3

The Dane’s first half was particularly difficult to watch, lacking a bit of competitive edge and not winning any of his six duels either on the ground nor in the air, and losing possession far too many times 

Quinten Timber – 6Every game the Dutchman becomes even more influential for the Phocéens. He started the game combatively in midfield, and won several big tackles in the middle to set up some counter attacking chances for the hosts. It was his intervention which saw OM go in front, and he almost scored himself when he dribbled the majority of the pitch but couldn’t find the key pass. 

Igor Paixao – 6

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 5

Got off the mark reasonably early after several matches where he had worked hard off the ball but didn’t necessarily get many chances in front of goal. His sliding finish made the difference after missing a one-on-one chance in the opening minutes. 

Amine Gouiri – 5After a slightly lacklustre performance against Monaco, the Algerian was bright in the opening minutes against Metz, his timing was then perfect when Marseille opened the scoring with his through-ball to Aubameyang. 

Mason Greenwood – 7His first match back after missing out on the Monaco trip and the Englishman worked his way into the game. His quick-thinking and positioning on the break put Aubameyang in the perfect spot to open the scoring for OM. The Englishman burst into life again in the second period when he provided the assist for Igor Paixao’s lovely chip over the goalkeeper. Instant impact, showing just how valuable he is for Marseille.FC METZ PLAYER RATINGSPape Sy – 6Alpha Touré – 5

Sadibou Sané – 5Koffi Kouao – 4Jean-Philippe Gbamin – 4Jessy Deminguet – 5

Giorgi Tsitaishvili – 6

One of the standout Metz players against OM, the Georgian sparked into life during the second period and did some fantastic work to get into the position to score just when Marseille had netted their second of the evening.Gauthier Hein – 5Bouna Sarr – 5

Habib Diallo – 3GFFN | George Boxall – reporting from Stade Vélodrome