[ad_1]
PARIS: Olympique Marseille won 1-0 against Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain after forward Florian Thauvin scored in the 31st minute of a throbbing but short-tempered match at Parc des Princes on Sunday (September 13).
Filled with fouls throughout, the clash spilled over in the last minute of injury time with referee Jerome Brisard sending off five players after a full-scale fight broke out on the field.
Neymar, Laywin Kurzawa and Leandro Paredes of Paris Saint Germain as well as the Marseille duo of Dario Benedetto and Jordan Amavi received their marching orders after rival players threw punches and kicks at each other.
But it didn’t bother Marseille manager Andre Villas-Boas after the 1993 European Cup champions celebrated their first league win against PSG since November 2011.
“A tough and important victory, as well as historic,” Villas-Boas told reporters after his team condemned last season’s Champions League runners-up to a second consecutive loss after a 1-0 setback in the opening day in Lens.
“We struggled to cope with the initial pressure from PSG because they are very good at it, but we found a way to achieve a great victory. It was not pleasant and we suffered.”
Thauvin scored against the run, directing a Dimitri Payet free kick inside the near post from close range after the hosts came in through Marco Verratti and Neymar, who also blew a couple of chances in the second half.
Neymar leaves with difficulty after being sent off in injury time. (Photo: AFP / Frank Fife)
Visiting goalkeeper Steve Mandanda made several superb saves before both sides disallowed an offside goal as the pace and intensity picked up a bit after the break.
Angel Di Maria’s shot for PSG was ruled out in the 62nd minute and Benedetto’s snap was also ruled out two minutes later when Thauvin, who unleashed the opening shot, was marginally behind the last PSG defender.
Losing several first-team regulars who had contracted the COVID-19 virus, PSG pushed hard in the final stages, but Marseille’s robust defense held firm.
PSG sports director Leonardo, a former World Cup winner with Brazil, criticized the referee’s actions.
“A total of 14 cards were brandished and five of them were red, which means that the game got out of control,” Leonardo told Telefoot television.
“(Brisard) lost his mind. He led the League Cup final, but he doesn’t have the experience for these kinds of matches.”
