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Marseille Edge Past Brann Marseille edged into the Champions League past a very determined Brann side. Mamadou Niang gave Marseille a second half lead only for Brann to quickly respond. An injury time goal from Niang securing Eric Gerets' side's place in amongst Europe's elite  |
| Champions League football is returning to Marseille for the second year in-a-row as a brace of goals from Mamadou Niang guided Eric Gerets’ side through against dogged opponents in the form of SK Brann of Norway. Marseille would have to wait over an hour before breaking the deadlock but were quickly pegged back by a super Sidgurdsson header. A late error from the same player allowed Niang to steal in and secure Marseille’s safe passage.
If Marseille thought that they were to be in for an easy route into the Champions League, after only six minutes they were to think again. Brann’s formation, a 5-3-2 system primed for counter-attacking football, allowed l’OM much of the early possession but the first effort on goal came from the Norwegians’ feet. Mandanda, in tremendous form in the Marseille goal, narrowed the angled impressively for Einarsson (actually an Icelander), who forced the goalkeeper to turn wide. This may have shaken Marseille, however, they refused to show any concern, calmly stroking the ball around and retaining possession comfortably for long periods. Although sighting efforts at goal had been thrashed, it was not until Taye Taiwo’s thunderbolt rattled the post that l’OM really looked menacing. Ben Arfa was having a terrific match and was the player that many of Marseille’s best attacking movements were flowing through. Neat passing between the former Lyon man and Ziani resulted in the latter smacking a stinging shot at the Brann goal, which was stoically fisted away by Opdal. The game had now settled into a well defined pattern of Marseille pushing forward and playing patiently to wait for an opening while Brann, unsuccessfully, attempted to launch counter-raids. Brann had begun to control the football more successfully but lacked the requisite creativity to trouble a robust looking home defence. This arrangement was not broken by the break, continuing into the second half of play. Marseille probed unsuccessfully at the banks of players standing between them and Opdal’s goal with only moderate success. Ziani was proving to be a marauding threat from midfield and had the best effort of the opening stages of the second half, connecting brilliantly with the ball at the edge of the penalty box only to watch it zip narrowly wide. When Hanstveit tugged Niang back and received only a yellow card despite being the last defender, the Bergen club may have sensed it was to be their night. Such illusions would be dismissed moments later as Mamadou Niang took advantage of defensive hesitation to slide Marseille ahead. Game over. Or so Marseille thought for all of five minutes. Kristjan Sidgurdsson sent a wonderful header from a free-kick spinning into the Marseille net, leaving Mandanda utterly helpless. Understandably, the home defence was beginning to show increased signs of anxiousness, however, the Marseille midfield, reinvigorated by Benoit Cheyrou, who had replaced Cana, managed to keep Brann at a good distance from the home goal. Despite their perilous position, Marseille remained the side doing much of the pressing. Ultimately this would pay dividends as a short backpass by goal hero Sidgurdsson would allow Mamadou Niang to nip in, round the goalkeeper and place the ball into the unguarded net. Eric Gerets would admit that this was far from Marseille at their most fluent but, ultimately, they got their job – to qualifying for the Champions League – completed. Brann went to the Velodrome with a plan that was very nearly executed and deserve credit for their tenacious and tactical adept play. They will have to watch on and think what might have been when Marseille entertain some of Europe’s biggest clubs. OLYMPIQUE MARSEILLE 2-1 SK BRANN 1-0 66’ Mamadou Niang 1-1 73’ Kristjan Sidgurdsson 2-1 90’ Mamadou Niang Marseille: Mandanda; Bonnart, Taiwo, Hilton, Zubar; Ziani (Zenden, 76’), Cana (Cheyrou, 81’), M’Bami; Niang, Grandin (Koné, 76’), Ben Arfa Yellow cards: Hilton 32’, Taiwo 73’ Brann: Opdal; Bjarnarsson, Dahl, El Fakiri, Hansveit, Einarsson (Jaiteh, 64’); Solli, Huseklepp, Sidgurdsson; Karadas (Björnsson, 71’), Djemba-Nyren (Saevarsson, 67’) Yellow cards: El Fakiri 25’, Einarsson 44’, Hansveit 61’ |
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