Angers (AFP)

Only one point in three matches: beaten 2-1 Wednesday in Angers, Marseille ended very badly and very tired in 2020 and slipped to 5th place in the Ligue 1 standings at the end of the 17th day.

After losing in Rennes (2-0) and taking a small point only at home against Reims (1-1), OM hoped to finish on a good note in Angers and stay "close to the top", as repeated every time. press conference his trainer André Villas-Boas.

But fatigue, already evident in recent meetings, eventually caught up with OM, which ended the calendar year on the knees.

Its two late matches remain a nest egg that the Provencal club can hope to grow in 2021, but it is now only 5th, ahead of teams - Lyon, Lille, PSG and Rennes - which are advancing much faster.

Last season, Villas-Boas surprised Angers and Stéphane Moulin by giving up the ball and betting everything on the counter.

The Marseillais had imposed themselves 2-0, a score which was already acquired at the break.

Wednesday also, there was 2-0 at rest, but for Angers, sanction of a completely failed first period of OM and perfect on the part of the locals, this time not at all embarrassed when making the game.

From the 4th minute, Angers passed thanks to Pereira Lage, who deceived Mandanda with a beautiful strike after an action full of culprits in the Marseille defense, from Alvaro to Sakai via Rongier, all very passive .

Ten minutes later, Marseille, who played without Gueye, whose suspension was finally confirmed by the CNOSF, avoided the knockout when Fulgini's strike grazed the post, but the inevitable intervened in the 23rd minute with a superb sequence of Diony (2-0, 23rd).

- missed penalty -

On the Marseille side, there was then nothing to save, but really nothing.

The Villas-Boas players ended the first half with just one shot, a Caleta-Car header in the 44th minute.

For the rest, OM had proposed a festival of horrors, off-beat passes and Sunday checks, and even a false touch signed Nagatomo, in great pain.

At the hour of play, the entries of Thauvin, replacing surprise at the kick-off, and Luis Henrique, finally ignited a spark in the Marseille game and Payet put a nice shot above (64th).

Less than 10 minutes later, the N.10 had the opportunity to revive OM but his penalty was remarkably rejected by Bernardoni (71st).

Marseille were still back in the match and five minutes later, the Reunionese caught up with an excellent cross for the head of Rongier, who deceived Bernardoni from entering the area (75th) for a first goal under the Marseille jersey which was long overdue.

OM then pushed but did not find the fault and Angers kept these three points, which earned him a nice 9th place at the break.

"We had a complicated start and we were punished on their first two actions. We were a little better in the second half but we started from too far and that's a shame," said Marseille captain and goalkeeper Mandanda.

"It remains a positive result even if the last three matches spoil the first part of the season a bit. There is above all a lot of physical and mental fatigue. We will have to recover and be ready in January," he added, aware that the pace was not going to weaken.

© 2020 AFP