PLAYER RATINGS | Marseille 1-1 Strasbourg – Greenwood scores to earn hard-fought point against RCSA

Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Round 18, 19/01/2025 

Strasbourg held Olympique de Marseille in a tactical chess match between coaches Roberto De Zerbi and Liam Rosenior, with Emegha scoring for Les Alsatiens and Greenwood converting a penalty for Les Olympiens in the second half.

The Match

Liam Rosenior’s Strasbourg came to the Vélodrome and frustrated Robero De Zerbi’s OM, who fought back to earn a point via Mason Greenwood’s penalty after Emmanuel Emegha opened the scoring for Strasbourg in the first half.

As expected, it was an intense start to the game between the two slides at the Vélodrome, with Strasbourg pouncing on a few errors from the OM defence, before Greenwood’s surging run into the box wasn’t able to finish with a strike on goal. After a stop-and-start ten minutes following, it was Les Olympiens who started to make progress in attacking the Strasbourg goal. Bilal Nadir’s interchanging positioning with Adrien Rabiot was proving useful, as the OM youngster broke through after playing a one-two with his midfield partner. Yet the Moroccan couldn’t find Maupay with his searching low cross.

After OM generated most of the chances in the opening exchanges it would be Strasbourg that bided their time and pounced at the right moment. Andrey Santos provided an excellent and incisive through ball which split open the Olympien defence and sent Emmanuel Emegha bearing down on goal, and the South African provided the killer finish in front of goal to draw first blood for the visitors. Rosenior planned the first half to perfection, as Strasbourg were pragmatic and patient in their approach, knowing that OM would dominate the ball but closed down passing lanes and opportunities when possible.

Derek Cornelius rose highest from a corner, but his header would float well over the bar. Luis Henrique tried to recreate his last-minute goal from last week with an arrowed strike just inside the box which flew past Petrovic’s right post. At the start of the second half, De Zerbi rolled the dice with two substitutions, bringing on youngster Robinho Vaz, and defender Pol Lirola. Greenwood would immediately have the chance to equalise in the box, but his curled strike flew just wide of the left post. Habib Diarra raced into the right side of the box and provided a dangerous low cross which would just about be cut out by Rulli. Ulisses Garcia would then be hauled off for Quentin Merlin, before Jonathan Rowe came on for Bilal Nadir.

A triple chance would come the way of the hosts, with English pair Greenwood and Rowe both being denied by some excellent blocks and the post to be kept at bay just after the hour mark. That would change when Ligue 1 debutant Robinho Vaz was pulled down in the box by Andrey Santos, and it would be clearly given as a penalty for the hosts. The pressure was on Ligue 1’s top scorer Mason Greenwood to convert from the spot, and whilst Petrovic dived the right way, he could do nothing to stop a well-struck penalty which levelled the game. In a flash, Emegha was sent through on goal in a mirror image of the opening finish, but his strike on goal would trickle past Rulli but bounce agonisingly off the right post and go out for an RCSA corner.

OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE PLAYER RATINGS

Géronimo Rulli – 5

Leonardo Balerdi – 5

Lilian Brassier – 5

His return to the side was a promising one, yet he was at fault with Balerdi for playing onside Emmanuel Emegha for the visitor’s opening goal.

Ulisses Garcia – 5

Was defensively good in the wing-back position, but didn’t offer enough offensively to get OM up the pitch in the first half. Was logically replaced in the second half.

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – 5 

A solid enough showing from the Dane, who returned to a partnership with Bilal Nadir in midfield alongside Adrien Rabiot. His leadership was of course good, and so was his build-up play. He lacked that creative spark however to get OM up the pitch quick enough.

Adrien Rabiot – 4 

Was his usual lively self in the opening period of the game. Positioned high up by De Zerbi, he couldn’t quite find the creative spark that he had in previous weeks for Les Olympiens. 

Bilal Nadir – 5

A solid showing in midfield in a deep lying pair with Højbjerg. The Moroccan has been progressing well since the New Year, and is playing as such that he lets Rabiot take more offensive responsibility, although it wasn’t with success on the evening against Strasbourg.

Luis Henrique – 5

Mason Greenwood – 5

A mixed performance from the UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month winner, who lacked focus at some key moments showed nowhere near his clinical best. Yet he stepped up when the pressure was on and when it mattered to convert a vital penalty to level the game.

Neal Maupay – 4 
He cut a frustrated figure for OM in the first period, and it prompted a change from Roberto De Zerbi to haul him off at half-time for 18-year-old Robinho Vaz. 

Others:

Robinho Vaz – 7
A really solid debut in Ligue 1 for the 18-year-old. Was energetic, pacey, and gave OM something different up front to Neal Maupay. He earned the penalty which was scored by Greenwood for the leveller with a clever feint past Santos. There’s plenty more reason to give the youngster more game time with Wahi on the sidelines. He almost won it for the Olympiens at the end of the game, bearing on goal after a mistake from the RCSA backline but his strike was blocked.

RACING CLUB DE STRASBOURG PLAYER RATINGS

Dorde Petrovic – 6

Guéla Doué – 5

Mamadou Sarr – 5

Ismael Doukouré – 6

Guemissonmgui Ouattara – 6

Sebastian Nanasi – 6

Habib Diarra – 5
A real leader for Strasbourg in the middle of the park. He was vital in controlling the midfield at moments when RCSA looked on top.  

Andrey Santos – 6 

Provided a splendid through ball for Emegha’s opener in the first half, and really set the rhythm of RCSA’s disruptive press in the first half. 

Dilane Bakwa – 5

Félix Lemarechal – 5

Emmanuel Emegha – 6

The South African was an absolute menace with his pacey runs in behind the OM defence. One of those was timed to perfection and gave him the chance to open the scoring at the Vélodrome, which he took excellently with a killer finish.


GFFN | George Boxall, reporting from Marseille