PLAYER RATINGS | Marseille 1-0 Monaco: Greenwood strike the difference as OM edge Monaco | OneFootball

Marseille secure a podium spot to finish off 2025 in Ligue 1 in a positive fashion, as a strike from Mason Greenwood see Les Phocéens edge a Monaco side which couldn’t make the most of their chances in a cagey clash on Sunday evening at the Vélodrome.

THE MATCH

Kick-off would be delayed at the Vélodrome, after Marseille supporters set off enough flares to impede the stadium’s vision. But Les Olympiens came out the traps quickly after the affair finally kicked off, with Mason Greenwood surging down the right and providing a dangerous cross flashed across the six-yard box which Hradecky had to quickly block with his legs before Murillo could convert at the far post. Aubameyang then had a glorious chance to open the scoring when Emerson played a cross which found its way to Aubameyang, but the Gabon international’s poke was tipped over the crossbar by the Monaco keeper. The Gabon international was then played through again, this time Hradecky tipped the ball over again with his fingertips.

Les Monégasques would react with a couple of chances of their own as Maghnes Akliouche was released in-behind, and Pierre Emile Højbjerg had to recover with a last minute challenge on the France international. An equal contest in the first period, a fight personified when Greenwood and Aubameyang pressed high up the pitch to nick the ball off the ASM defence but the Englishman’s shot was well wide. Akliouche served a swerved ball with the outside of his foot, but Golovin couldn’t find a strike from a tight angle. Højbjerg had to be called upon to clear off the line after some clever work inside the box from Akliouche.

The second half continued with the same rhythm as the first, as Monaco thought they opened the scoring after Lamine Camara volleyed home from the edge of the box, but the assistant would raise his flag for offside. Matt O’RIley entered the pitch and immediately had a glorious chance to put OM in front after some weaving dribbling from Greenwood down the right. A stop and start rhythm then repeated itself as neither side could find a breakthrough. Aubameyang forced Hradrekcy into his third save of the evening against the OM striker. Greenwood then chanced his luck from range and then with a first time strike inside the box, but no luck for the Englishman. Geronimo Rulli was then on hand to deny Minamino from close range, after the Japan international latched onto a ball over the top of the OM defence.

Monaco thought they opened the scoring when Balogun latched onto a through-ball and slotted home past Rulli. Yet his knee was judged offside by the smallest of margins, and the Vélodrome erupted as the goal was ruled out by Letexier. An even louder roar would be heard just minutes after, as Marseille instantly broke on the counter-attack and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg fizzed a ball into Greenwood who provided a killer first-time finish (81′). Finally a goal, and it sent the home supporters into delirium.

OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE PLAYER RATINGS

Geronimo Rulli – 6

Emerson Palmieri – 5

Nayef Aguerd – 3

Clearly affected by his publalgia in recent weeks, Aguerd did not look fit after featuring against USG. The Moroccan made an error in the first half where he arguably should have been punished, letting the ball across his body as Akliouche ran in behind but Aguerd’s blushes would be saved by a racing Rulli.

Benjamin Pavard – 4

Timothy Weah – 6

Geoffrey Kondogbia – 4

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – 7

Intervened on Akliouche in the first half with a fine recovery challenge and proceeded to be the physical presence that OM needed against Zakaria and Camara. Vermeeren dropped beside him in the second half where he looked more solid. He then provided the fizzed ball into the feet of Mason Greenwood for the Englishman to open the scoring late on.

Matt O’Riley – 5

Arthur Vermeeren – 5

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 4

He was twice denied, and was arguably unlucky to not score in the opening minutes – yet he looked unable to influence the game consistently enough. With the AFCON approaching, the Gabon international looks physically fatigued – having played the majority of OM’s games in recent weeks.

Mason Greenwood – 7

The Ligue 1 top scorer grabs another goal after scoring his brace against USG last week. This time it was a killer first-time finish after a ball fizzed into his feet by Højbjerg. Nevertheless, he continued his rich vein of form shown in Belgium with the same kind of dribbling threat, with a renewed sense of energy – and most importantly the finish

AS MONACO PLAYER RATINGS

Hradecky – 8

A sensational start to the match with two quick saves to stop Monaco from going behind in the opening minutes. The First was off the inside of his foot when Greenwood provided a stinging low cross from the right side with Murillo at the back post – before he got a fingertip to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s poke from close range. He then denied Aubameyang once more with a save in the second period.

Mohamed Salisu – 5

Thilo Kehrer – 5

Vanderson – 5

Caio Henrique – 4

Denis Zakaria – 5

Lamine Camara – 6

Takumi Minamino – 4The Japan international was valuable in build-up but wanting in front of goal. He missed the two big chances in the second-half, dragging his first shot and failing to beat Rulli on the second. It was a question of the big chances falling to the wrong player on the night.

Aleksandr Golovin – 7Monaco rolled their luck in the opening minutes and it was in large part thanks to Golovin that they found a foothold in the game. The Russian was well-placed to sweep up the continued threat posed by the hosts and was at the heart of all of the Principality club’s key chances, playing through Akliouche, creating Minamino’s good chance and teeing up Balogun for the shot that was cleared off the line from the recovering Hojbjerg. Golovin is a frustratingly inconsistent player but it is on nights like this that he shows his value.

Maghnes Akliouche – 6

Folarin Balogun – 5GFFN | George Boxall & Luke Entwistle – Reporting from Stade Vélodrome, Marseille.