Olympique de Marseille's French forward Dimitri Payet reacts after scoring, during their French L1 football match Olympique of Marseille (OM) versus EA Guingamp at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille on September 16, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Boris HORVAT
Dimitri Payet scored a stunning goal as Marseille thrashed Guingamp 4-0 at the Stade Velodrome on Sunday to move second in the Ligue 1 table.
After Florian Thauvin had opened the scoring early in the second half, Payet met a dipping ball 30 yards from goal with a magnificent side-footed volley which flew into the net off the crossbar.
Winger Thauvin added another spectacular goal late on, and Payet teed up Kostas Mitroglou to finish off a blistering second-half display.
Rudi Garcia’s Marseille took second place from Lille in the table on goal difference, but remain five points adrift of reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, who brushed aside Saint-Etienne 4-0 on Friday.
“Getting two straight wins has given us second place, so it’s easy to get there, but it’s more difficult to stay there,” said Marseille coach Garcia.
The best chance for the home team in a disjointed first-half performance fell to Thauvin, but his shot was blocked after a jinking run had created space inside the box.
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Garcia sent on Maxime Lopez at half-time to replace Lucas Ocampos, and his side almost took the lead in the 50th minute when Greek striker Mitroglou somehow sent a diving header onto the post from barely a yard out.
“He (Lopez) brought his technical skills and quality on the ball,” added Garcia. “Everyone was very, very average in the first period, and everyone was much better in the second.”
OM were posing a far greater threat in the second period, and Thauvin looped a 57th-minute header over Guingamp goalkeeper Karl-Johan Johnsson to score with the first shot on target of the match.
Marseille wrapped up the points against a toothless Guingamp 17 minutes from time, as former West Ham star Payet produced an early goal-of-the-season contender.
Thauvin did his best to match Payet, as he showed great control before cutting inside and curling a wonderful strike into the far top corner from the edge of the area.
The 25-year-old, who scored 26 goals in all competitions last season, has now netted five times in as many appearances this term.
Payet turned provider in the 83rd minute, rolling the ball perfectly into the path of Mitroglou, who had time to take a touch and slot in to complete the rout.
Guingamp remain rooted to the foot of the table, having lost all five of their matches so far in the campaign.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Bordeaux’s poor start to the season continued as a 3-3 draw at home with Nimes left them second-bottom, while Nantes and Reims played out a goalless stalemate.
Source: G Sport
