Olympique de Marseille missed a chance to join Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain at the top of Ligue 1 standings when it could only draw with bottom club Angers 1-1 in a match marred by first-half red cards for both teams on Friday (Oct 4). Marseille was left in third place in the French league and ruing missing chances against the only team yet to win.
Marseille continued to stutter on Friday (Oct 4) as they could only draw 1-1 at home against Ligue 1 tailenders Angers. After opening their first season under Roberto De Zerbi with four wins and a draw in the league, Marseille lost at Strasbourg last week and dropped points to winless Anger on Friday in a glum Velodrome Stadium where two stands were closed by order of the league.
"I accepted the compliments after the good results, now we have to accept the criticism," said De Zerbi after the game.
Marseille even briefly played with a man advantage after Lilian Raolisoa was sent off in the 26th minute. But Neal Maupay picked up two yellow cards in the next three minutes and Marseille were down to ten men by the half hour.
Marseille struggled to create clear-cut chances while Angers stalled for time.
Englishmen Jonathan Rowe finally broke through for Marseille after 51 minutes. But again the momentum lasted barely three minutes as Farid El Melali converted a 54th minute free kick.
