All series have an end, you just have to find the scenario.

A cluster, variable geometry positivity, controversy, pressure, a threat of postponement, some actions by disgruntled supporters outside the stadium and then this poor recovery from Benoît Costil at the end of the first period perfectly exploited by Cegiz Ünder for the only goal of the match (37th).

The joy of the Marseillais, after the opener against Bordeaux, during the 20th day of Ligue 1, January 7, 2022 at the Matmut Stadium ROMAIN PERROCHEAU AFP

The bad tongues, especially Bordeaux, will say that it will have been necessary for a virus to invite itself in the Aquitaine locker room for the curse to be broken.

But the Phocéens, with the three positive cases identified, will not care, happy to consolidate their place on the podium of the L1, again runners-up of Paris SG, and to confirm their current good pass.

The domination of the men of Jorge Sampaoli was undivided most of the time against Bordelais physically accusing the blow for some.

Except that the visiting attempts were too far away or not on target to worry Costil, saved by his post on a recovery from Duje Caletar-Car following a corner from Dimitri Payet deflected with the head by Boubacar Kamara (11).

The Croatian defender of Marseille, Duje Caleta-Car, takes the ball with his head in the middle of the Bordeaux defense, during the opening of the 20th day of Ligue 1, January 7, 2022 at the Matmut Stadium ROMAIN PERROCHEAU AFP

Then there is this return to six meters poorly assured by the Bordeaux goalkeeper directly on the left-handed Turkish off-center, swift and above the lot, who quickly roasted all the local rearguard and scored his 7th goal of the season, the 5th in L1, the second against the Girondins.

Derogations from the LFP

This will be the only mistake of the international goalkeeper who will then have been vigilant in the recovery on a header from Caleta-Car (52), a furious rush and a dry strike from Matteo Guendouzi (55) and finally who will be the winner of his face-to-face. -face with Ünder (62), then later ahead of Dimitri Payet or Guendouzi.

In the camp opposite, this dark week will be remembered for a long time.

Already in conflict with the Federation on their return from the Christmas holidays which forced him to play his round of 16 of the Coupe de France in Brest (0-3) despite 23 absent in its ranks (including 21 tested positive for Covid-19 ), the club with the scapular got acquainted with the intransigence of the Professional Football League, which on Wednesday refused their request to postpone the match for lack of positive cases.

A little more conciliatory in recent hours, the body finally granted several exemptions, which allowed Costil to start, Fransérgio and Yacine Adli to return during the match.

But that was not enough to relaunch a feverish and porous machine during the first leg.

In lack of pace with six + ex-covids + aligned from the start, Vladimir Petkovic's men ran a lot, suffered a lot, only really approaching Pau Lopez's cage once before the break, but Hwang Ui -jo, ideally launched by Tom Lacoux, saw his left strike fly away.

South Korean Bordeaux striker Hwang Ui-jo tries a shot despite the return of Croatian Marseille defender Duje Caleta-Car at the opening of Ligue 1 matchday 20 on January 7, 2022 at Matmut Stadium ROMAIN PERROCHEAU AFP

In the wake of Issouf Sissokho more than up to the intensity, there was better in their production after the break.

Mexer from a corner (47), Hwang not sufficiently clinical at five meters (69) will have had two situations to equalize and preserve this invincibility which should long cause talk, as much on the banks of the Garonne as on the Canebière.

© 2022 AFP