Payet debuts as Marseille advance to Cup q-finals
Marseille’s star recruit Dimitri Payet made his debut on Tuesday but it was Brazilian Doria who booked the team’s French Cup quarter-final berth with a 2-1 extra time win over Lyon. Payet rejoined the Ligue 1 side on a fourand-a-half-year deal on Sunday after Marseille paid 30 million euros ($31.3 million, £25 million) to bring him back to the Stade Velodrome.
And the 29-year-old former West Ham player came on to a standing ovation after 94 minutes as the Cup clash was deadlocked 1-1 and heading into extra-time.
“It was exceptional, a moment that I will remember forever,” said an emotional Payet, who had effectively gone on strike at his London club in his bid to return to France.
“I had the shivers when I walked onto the pitch. The public were totally behind us, we wanted to reward them with victory. “The important thing was to win whether I was on the pitch or not. In the locker room I’m not in the same place and I haven’t the same jersey, but I have the same passion.
“I haven’t played for a month and I felt it, but I’m motivated to find my level again.” Despite the arrival of the star of the winter transfer window it was old recruits who kept 10-time Cup winners Marseille on track in the 100th edition of the tournament in which they hold the joint record number of trophies along with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain who travel to Rennes on Wednesday. Rod Fanni, recalled last summer by former coach Frank Passi, headed in the opener on 24 minutes before Corentin Tolisso equalised for the visitors on 64 minutes.
And 22-year-old Doria, who had been sidelined by former Marseille boss Marcelo Bielsa and loaned out twice, stole the show. He came on in place of another new recruit Patrice Evra who picked up a thigh injury three minutes after the break and fired in the winner after 109 minutes at the Velodrome.
“Evra, we’ll know more tomorrow, I don’t think it’s serious,” said Marseille coach Rudi Garcia. “We knew that he and Dimitri Payet aren’t 100 percent. I’m happy for Doria, he’s young, he’s learning in a position that he isn’t used to, but in our system players must sacrifice themselves to help the team. “He has remained serene every time he has had difficulties and he has been criticised, he has gotten down to work.”
Lyon, who had beaten Marseille 3-1 just ten days ago, exit the tournament they have won five times, most recently in 2012. “It’s a huge disappointment. It hurts to be eliminated from the French Cup,” said Lyon coach Bruno Genesio.
“We have to pick ourselves up, and learn from this for our next match.” Ligue 1 sides Bordeaux, Lille and Lorient also advanced, as Nantes and Dijon exited.
Lille ground out a 1-0 win at home against Nantes with Sebastien Corchia slotting in a penalty after 81 minutes.
A last-gasp GaÎtan Laborde goal two minutes into time added on helped Bordeaux past Dijon 2-1 as top flight tailenders Lorient were made to work hard for a 3-2 extra time win at Chateauroux. — AFP