Thauvin rescues Marseille
● “Everything’s going well, thank God, but there’s always this fear when you come back and I need to get rid of that fear as soon as possible to arrive at the World Cup,” Neymar, who has been out since the end of February, said
Paris, May 12: Florian Thauvin snatched 10- man Marseille a thrilling 3- 3 draw at Guingamp on Friday to keep their hopes of reaching the Champions League with a top- three finish in France alive.
The Europa League finalists are behind Monaco, who occupy third, on goal difference and are one point adrift of second- placed Lyon, who can now secure their Champions League spot with a win at Strasbourg.
Marseille will have two chances to qualify for Europe’s premier competition next week in Wednesday’s Europa League final against Atletico Madrid in Lyon, and if they lose that, on the last day of the Ligue 1 season on May 19. ● Marseille will have two chances to qualify for Europe’s premier competition next week in Wednesday’s Europa League final against Atletico Madrid in Lyon, and if they lose that, on the last day of the Ligue 1 season on May 19
The away side raced into a 2- 0 lead at the Stade de Roudourou inside 14 minutes through Valere Germain’s header and Thauvin’s 25th goal of the season.
But Clement Grenier pulled one back for Guingamp and equalised from the penalty spot in the 52nd minute after Lucas Ocampos’ handball.
Guingamp moved in front in the 70th minute as Jimmy Briand scored another spot- kick after goalkeeper Steve
Mandanda was controversially sent off.
But Thauvin struck again to salvage a point and ensure Marseille’s fight to finish in the top three will at least go to the final day of the campaign.
Marseille got off to a dream start as Thauvin swung in a perfect cross for Germain, and the forward leapt highest to plant a magnificent header past Guingamp goalkeeper Karl Johan Johnsson and into the bottom corner.
With a home match against Amiens on the final day of the season, this looked to be the tougher of Marseille’s remaining matches, but they stretched further clear in the 14th minute.
Argentinian winger Ocampos created space on the wing, and crossed for Thauvin to continue his remarkable campaign with a neat header.
The 25- year- old former Newcastle flop, capped three times by France, is now firmly in the running to receive a call- up to Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad on Thursday.
But the hosts halved the deficit shortly before halftime after a quick counterattack ended with Briand’s shot rattling the crossbar, allowing midfielder Grenier to stab into an empty net.