This is why Marseille's hero returned! Auba's brace launches Olympique past Paris FC

Everything's easier when you have Auba! After a dreadful last week, the Gabonese's brace, Mason Greenwood's spot-kick goal, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's screamer, and Robinio Vaz's maiden professional goal brought Marseille a vital win over Paris FC, whose two Africans, Ilan Kebbal (Algeria) and Moses Simon (Nigeria) found the net and gave headaches to the home team.

Roberto De Zerbi's sub Bilal Nadir deserved an honorary mention as he recorded two assists - for the third and fourth Marseille's goals - coming off the bench.

The atmosphere at Stade Velodrome during the past seven days was absolutely horrendous. Marseille lost the opening Ligue 1 game against Rennes, Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe physically collided in the locker room and were put on the transfer list, while the manager De Zerbi and the sporting director Medhi Benatia spent most time explaining what happened.

After the entire scandal, their second-round duel against the Ligue 1 newcomers Paris FC seemed as crucial as it gets. Key players were expected to step up, and that's exactly what they did!

'A punch in the mouth, and security coming to separate you... I've never seen anything like it!'

Already midway through the opening half, Marseille were 2-0 up after Mason Greenwood broke the deadlock from the spot in the 18th minute and the returnee to the club, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, doubled the lead six minutes later.

Still, Olympique's defence once again faltered in the 28th minute when the Algerian Ilan Kebbal scored a genuine banger, showing that Paris wouldn't just sit and watch while the rivals crushed them. At the same time, he gave his team an active result at the break.

New war in France: De Zerbi vs Rabiot's mom!

Still, as if they thought their job was done, De Zerbi's lads looked too complacent at the beginning of the second half and the visitors exploited that and equalized the score in the 58th minute, over the Nigerian Moses Simon, who returned the things back to the starting point.

Minutes later, Leonardo Ballerdi had a solid attempt after a corner, but shot powerfully straight into Paris keeper Obed Nkambadio. On the other hand, the newcomers to Ligue 1 aimed a complete comeback over Kebbal, who was the vital figure in their team.

PSG are winning even when they are playing bad

Despite his status of a massive reinforcement, Timothy Weah put in a poor performance and was consequently subbed off in the 63rd minute, leaving his place to the 21-year-old Moroccan Bilal Nadir. And the youngster made an instant impact, as he stole the ball and assisted for Auba's second goal of the day just ten minutes later - 3-2!

Still, that's wasn't the end of Nadir's show, as he recorded another assist, this time for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's long-range banger, which definitely shattered Paris' hopes in the 81st minute.

Marseille's triumph could have been even more convincing, but Greenwood wasted a penalty in the 85th minute, shooting wide off the post. Still, no one will hold it against him after a crucial victory, especially since Robinio Vaz corrected the Englishman's mistake and scored the fifth Olympique's goal in the dying minutes.

LIGUE 1 - MATCHDAY 2

Friday

PSG - Angers 1-0 (0-0)

/Ruiz 50/

Satuday

Olympique Marseille - Paris 5-2 (2-1)

/Greenwood 18 pen, Aubameyang 24, 73, Hojbjerg 81, Vaz 90+6 - Kebbal 28, Simon 58/

20.00: (1.67) Nice (4.00) Auxerre (5.00)

22.05: (1.40) Olympique Lyon (4.70) Metz (8.00)

Sunday

16.00: (2.85) Lorient (3.25) Rennes (2.55)

18.15: (3.90) Le Havre (3.60) Lens (2.05)

18.15: (1.80) Strasbourg (3.75) Nantes (4.75)

18.15: (2.10) Toulouse (3.50) Brest (3.80)

21.45: (3.00) Lille (3.50) Monaco (2.45)

***odds are subject to change***