Marseille FC secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Auxerre in Ligue 1, but the win was overshadowed by a last-minute injury to key defender Nayef Aguerd. Aguerd, who has quickly become a vital part of the OM defense since his summer arrival from West Ham, suffered an injury during the pre-match warm-up.
This forced a late change to the starting lineup, with Italian international Emerson Palmieri stepping in to replace Aguerd in central defense. Despite being initially rested as a precaution, Emerson had to start. Ulises Garcia retained his left-back position, completing a five-man defense alongside Egan Riley and Benjamin Pavard.
Angel Gomes scored the decisive goal for Marseille in the 30th minute, securing all three points for the team. However, Marseille had to play the final portion of the match with 10 men after Ulisses Garcia was sent off in the 65th minute. Despite the numerical disadvantage, they managed to hold on for the win.
The victory lifts Marseille into second place in the Ligue 1 standings, two points behind Paris Saint-Germain. Coach Roberto De Zerbi, despite missing several key players due to injury and resting others ahead of a busy schedule including Champions League and league matches, praised his team's resilience. The win was particularly important after a run of three games without a victory.
Marseille's starting XI against Auxerre included Rulli in goal, a defense of Murillo, Riley, Pavard, Emerson, and Garcia, a midfield of O'Riley and Hojberg, Angel Gomes in an attacking role, and Aubameyang and Vaz leading the line.
Key Moments from di Match
- Aguerd's injury during warm-up forces late lineup change.
- Angel Gomes scores the winning goal for Marseille.
- Ulisses Garcia receives a red card.
- Marseille holds on for a crucial victory.
Marseille will be hoping Aguerd's injury is not too serious as they face a challenging run of fixtures in the coming weeks.