Far from their European flashes on Tuesday against Sporting Portugal (4-1), OM fell at the Vélodrome stadium on goals from Bevic Moussiti-Oko (25th) and Leonardo Balerdi against his camp (47th), while Payet had opened the score on penalty (15th).

It's a defeat that falls very badly for the Olympian team (2nd, 23 pts): here is their second place threatened by their pursuers before a decisive week, with a second round against Sporting on Wednesday in the Champions League then the classic Ligue 1 next Sunday against leader Paris SG (1st, 25 pts), opposed to Reims on Saturday evening (9:00 p.m.).

Igor Tudor's players fell from a height: the Marseillais were perhaps expecting a quiet Saturday afternoon against AC Ajaccio, last in the standings before this match, who had scored only 5 goals in nine L1 days so far.

Marseille's Luis Suarez (g) tackled by Ajaccio defender Cédric Avinel, October 8, 2022 at the Stade Vélodrome Sylvain THOMAS AFP

Payet, centenary in goals and assists

They were quickly disillusioned, despite the opener from the penalty spot of their captain Dimitri Payet.

Ajaccio defender Ismael Diallo (g) battles with OM Cengiz Under striker, October 8, 2022 at the Stade Vélodrome Sylvain THOMAS AFP

The playmaker (35) seized the ball with authority when the referee whistled a hand from Ajaccio defender Cédric Avinel.

And he transformed his attempt with a tight shot to score his 100th goal in Ligue 1, 16 years after the first scored with Nantes.

Enough to allow the Reunionese to enter the history of the French Championship: he is the first player, according to some counts, to reach both the bar of 100 goals and 100 assists in L1 (Payet is at 112 assists , according to statistician Opta).

The emotion of "Dim" was a pleasure to see, the Vélodrome hailed his achievement but the scenario got tougher when the Ajaccio striker Bevic Moussiti-Oko equalized with a low shot from the left, his first goal in L1 ( 25th).

And as the Argentinian defender Leonardo Balerdi, scorer on Tuesday, fell back into his failings by scoring this time against his camp (47th), OM found themselves behind and forced to whip to get out of it.

Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi (g) marking on Ajaccio striker Mounaim El Idrissy, October 8, 2022 at the Stade Vélodrome Sylvain THOMAS AFP

Marseille coach Igor Tudor changed his entire attack, launching Luis Suarez, Amine Harit and even former banned Bamba Dieng, but the equalizer never came... Samuel Gigot's deflection was saved by the keeper (75th) and Ajaccio defended fiercely at the end of the game, overcoming OM's good series in Ligue 1.

© 2022 AFP