Hey, Beye, this isn't okay! Algerian saves disappointing Marseille against relegation strugglers

Marseille’s Champions League dream is still alive after the 1-0 triumph against Auxerre at home, and that’s practically the only thing that can please Olympique’s fans after last night's duel at Stade Velodrome.

Habib Beye arrived as a manager tasked with upgrading the team and improving its performance. Instead, L’OM seem extremely lost and confused. Ten days ago, they were eliminated from the Cup by Toulouse, three days later, they barely beat the same rival 1-0, and last night, after a lot of struggles and suffering, they broke the sturdy relegation strugglers in an ugly and dull game thanks to the Senegalese’s super sub, Amine Gouiri, who netted the vital winner in the 79th minute.

Still, this isn’t what Marseille’s supporters are hoping for and expect, as Lyon and Lille are right on their heels in the table, and Beye’s men won’t be this lucky against stronger rivals.

Even though Habib Beye sent a very offensively potent starting lineup to the pitch, his men literally did nothing in the first half, throwing the opening 45 minutes out the window. The fact that they faced relegation strugglers didn't help much nor eased their job.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Igor Paixao, and Mason Greenwood were completely cut off from the rest of the team by Auxerre's sturdy defence, as Marseille made only three attempts. Still, they were more concrete than the visitors who shot once. Combined, neither side hit the target before the break.

The referee Marc Bollengier turned out to be the standout figure of the first half, showing three yellow cards.

Throwing flairs at your own players – welcome to Marseille

L'OM opened the second half with a much better energy, as Greenwood and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg finally made attempts on target, forcing the visitors' keeper Donovan Leon to make two excellent stops.

In the 62nd minute, Beye pulled a risky move, replacing the midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia with the striker Amine Gouiri, desperately pursuing the winner, as his team Champions League position in Ligue 1 was seriously jeopardized.

Four minutes later, Greenwood threatened, but again failed to beat outstanding Leon. The home team's pressure was getting higher as the ref's final whistle approached, but Beye's men were evidently lacking creativity in the attack.

Another resignation in Marseille – the president is gone

Sixteen minutes before the end, Hojbjerg attempted with a powerful free-kick strike, but his effort went narrowly wide of the right post of Auxerre's goal. Still, the Dane's effort hinted at the deadlock-breaker which finally came in the 79th minute!

Throughout the game, crosses brought nothing to L'OM against tough Auxerre's back line, but once the ball fell in the visitors box and caused panic, Beye's golden sub Gouiri was there to smash it into the net and score a vital goal for the club from Stade Velodrome.

Yet, instead of securing the three points, Olympique started panicking and giving Auxerre excellent opportunities to avoid defeat. Three minutes before the end, Bryan Okoh found the net to level the score, but his goal did not stand for a handball.

Nevertheless, Marseille somehow survived the visitors' attacks, managing to avoid conceding another goal in added time and losing more points. Still, they'll have to be much better in the remaining eight Ligue 1 rounds, or their UCL dream may be crushed. And we all know how unpleasant (to say the least), L'OM fans can be when they are dissatisfied and angry.

LIGUE 1 - MATCHDAY 26

Friday

Olympique Marseille - Auxerre 1-0 (0-0)

/Gouiri 79/

Saturday

19.00: (4.20) Lorient (3.50) Lens (1.87)

21.00: (2.95) Angers (3.25) Nice (2.45)

23.05: (1.70) Monaco (4.00) Brest (4.70)

Sunday

17.00: (1.77) Strasbourg (3.60) Paris (4.80)

19.15: (3.60) Le Havre (3.35) Olympique Lyon (2.10)

19.15: (3.65) Metz (3.45) Toulouse (2.05)

22.45: (2.30) Rennes (3.40) Lille (3.10)

***odds are subject to change***