Bordeaux 1 - 0 Marseille - OM lose again

Posted Monday, April 13, 2015 by PA

Marseille's Ligue 1 title hopes suffered another setback after they made it back-to-back domestic defeats for the first time this season with a 1-0 loss at Bordeaux.

OM have been fighting near the top of the standings all year, but last week's 3-2 reverse against Paris St Germain saw them drop five points behind Laurent Blanc's leaders.

With Lyon and PSG not in action this weekend, Sunday's trip to Bordeaux was an opportunity to reduce that gap, but Cedric Yambere instead put a spanner in the works by securing a 1-0 win for Les Girondins.

Willy Sagnol's side are currently in sixth place and the win took them to within three points of fourth-placed Marseille, who occupy the last automatic European qualification place.

Bordeaux made a strong start and their pressing almost paid off when Mariano's shot from distance caught out goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, but fortunately for the hosts the Brazilian defender's effort crashed against an upright.

Marcelo Bielsa's team hit back, though, and after Romain Alessandrini latched on to Andre-Pierre Gignac's superb through-ball he was unfortunate to see his effort from a tight angle hit the outside of a post.

Alessandrini continued to threaten for the visitors and wend close again midway through the half after neatly bringing down a cross, but the former Rennes forward dragged his shot across Cedric Carrasso's goal.

Making his first start since early February, He was then denied by a combination of Carrasso and a post after Dimitri Payet picked him out in acres of space.

Alessandrini then had a penalty claim waved away after he took a tumble in the area under a Nicolas Pallois challenge.

The visitors picked up where they left off after the break as Gignac went close with a header from Jeremy Morel's delivery before Payet went close with a drive from outside the box.

However, on 60 minutes, Bordeaux went in front when Mariano's delivery found Yambere and he thumped the ball beyond Mandanda.

Bielsa brought on Lucas Ocampos and Michy Batshuayi and the latter's cross almost set up Payet for the equaliser, but his difficult half-volley failed to test Carrasso.

The visitors appeared to tire as the latter stages approached and only a last ditch Alaixys Romao challenge prevented Diego Rolan from converting Wahbi Khazri's inviting cross to rubber-stamp the three points.