Lens (AFP)

The day after the dismissal of coach Andre Villas-Boas, Marseille, conqueror in the first period, then squandered its lead and conceded a draw (2-2) on the lawn of a catchy Lens team, Wednesday during of the 23rd day of L1.

Four days before the "Classic" against Paris SG, OM, which was led by Nasser Larguet, the director of the training center, was first reassured by his determination, his desire and his offensive realism which allowed him to lead 2-0 at half-time thanks to Florian Thauvin (37th) and Arkadiusz Milik, the flagship recruit of the winter transfer window (45th + 2).

But upon returning from the locker room, the Phocéens fell back into their pitfalls by conceding a goal from Florian Sotoca after 25 seconds (46th), then the equalizer of Facundo Medina on the hour mark (61st).

They then resisted as best they could the opposing offensives to end a series of three consecutive losses in the league.

After the serious incidents caused on Saturday afternoon by supporters at the club's training center and which had led to the postponement of the meeting scheduled a few hours later against Rennes, the surrealist press conference of AVB, which had announced that it wanted resigning before being dismissed by his management a few hours later Tuesday, had added to an already very heavy climate for OM.

This draw at the Bollaert-Delelis stadium does not do the business of the Marseille club, which had a catastrophic month of January and has almost said goodbye to the possibility of returning to the Champions League next year.

OM, which has not won for five matches in L1 (2 draws, 3 losses), points to a disappointing 9th place with 33 points, 15 lengths from third, PSG.

Lens, on the other hand, continues to surprise and retains its flattering seventh place with 35 units on the clock.

After a good start from Marseille, RCL regained control of the game.

A goal from Simon Banza was thus refused for a preliminary offside from Sotoca (11th).

The latter then harvested a superb opportunity by shooting aside after being well served by Seko Fofana in the box (23rd).

Then Jonathan Clauss put Marseille captain Steve Mandanda to work for a volley of twenty meters (32nd).

- Milik rewarded -

In the meantime, Milik had tried to wake up the Marseille formation, first by going in contact with Leca on a deep ball (23rd), then with a poorly adjusted 50-meter lob attempt (25th) and a header that fled the frame of little (27th).

And it is OM who ended up opening the scoring: served in the area of ​​a small aerial ball, Thauvin chained a control from the left and a cross strike from the right which hit the mark with the help of the post right (0-1, 37th).

This seventh goal of the season for "Flotov", involved in almost half of Marseille's goals in L1 by adding his seven assists, freed his team, who finished the first period very strong.

Just before half-time, Milik was rewarded for his enormous activity by doubling the bet of an angry tackle on an Alvaro Gonzalez jump shot (0-2, 45 + 3).

But upon returning from the locker room, the beautiful Marseille building cracked after the reduction of Sotoca's score on a cross by Arnaud Kalimuendo (46th), before collapsing with the equalizer of Medina on a center of Clauss ( 61e).

The Phocaeans, who seemed to run out of juice, then folded many times in the face of the Lensoise offensives, like a recovery from Banza (71st), a shot from Sotoca (71st) or two attempts of the untenable Fofana who grazed the post of Mandanda (73rd, 81st).

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