Marseille player ratings vs Le Havre: Himad Abdelli and Timothy Weah shine as hosts survive late scare in seven-goal thriller

Marseille made it three Ligue 1 wins in a row and moved within three points of the podium, but only after a four-goal lead almost slipped away in a frantic finish at the Velodrome.

Marseille looked home and dry when Himad Abdelli made it 4-0 ten minutes into the second half, after CJ Egan-Riley, Timothy Weah and Igor Paixao had already struck for Bruno Genesio’s side. Bottom-placed Le Havre, still without a league win this season, refused to fold. Substitute Josh Maja converted a penalty and later headed in, either side of a Lamine N’Diaye goal, as the visitors scored three times in 12 minutes. The hosts then had to sit through a lengthy VAR review for a Tochukwu Nnadi handball deep into stoppage time before referee Clement Turpin waved away Le Havre’s penalty appeals. Below, we rate the Marseille players.

Goalkeeper & Defence

Jeffrey de Lange – 6/10 Jeffrey de Lange was sharp to keep out Rayan Fofana’s powerful strike midway through the first half and made three saves in total. He parried Sota Nakamura’s effort only for N’Diaye to tap in the rebound, and could do little about Maja’s penalty or his late header.

Timothy Weah – 7/10 Timothy Weah, wearing the captain’s armband, produced the moment of the first half when he weaved past three defenders to double the lead on 33 minutes. His afternoon was soured midway through the second half, though, when he tugged Fofana’s shirt to concede the penalty that sparked Le Havre’s fightback.

CJ Egan-Riley – 7/10 CJ Egan-Riley was left unmarked to head home his first Ligue 1 goal for the club inside five minutes. A sloppy error just after the hour almost gifted Le Havre a goal, and Maja’s header for the visitors’ third deflected in off him.

Nayef Aguerd – 8/10 Nayef Aguerd was dominant in the air, heading clear cross after cross as Le Havre tried to find a way back into the game in the first half. His crunching tackle on Nakamura just after the hour started the goal-line rescue that kept the visitors out.

Emerson – 8/10 Emerson whipped in the cross for Egan-Riley’s opener and had a shot blocked from a well-worked free-kick routine. His goal-line clearance to deny Maja on 63 minutes, with De Lange beaten, was just as decisive as his assist.

Midfield

Tochukwu Nnadi – 6/10 Tochukwu Nnadi screened the defence well in the opening hour and allowed the more creative players to flourish. However, he committed four fouls, one of them conceding the free-kick that led to Le Havre’s third, and was fortunate to escape a VAR penalty review for handball in stoppage time.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 7/10 Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg brought bite and control to the middle of the park. He went close with a curling effort in the first half and set up Paixao with a clever backheel on the hour. Marseille looked far more vulnerable after his 84th-minute withdrawal.

Himad Abdelli – 9/10 Himad Abdelli was the standout performer, so influential that Le Havre assigned Amir Richardson to man-mark him. He started the move for Paixao’s goal with a sharp turn and pass to Amine Gouiri, before capping his display with a half-volley into the top corner on 55 minutes. He was twice denied by Gauthier Gallon rushing off his line and shook off an ankle knock before leaving to a standing ovation.

Attack

Amine Harit – 7/10 Amine Harit was lively between the lines, setting up a header for Aguerd in the opening minutes and a curling effort for Abdelli. He was also at the centre of a first-half incident in which Enzo Koffi held him back as the last man, leaving the Velodrome demanding a red card that never came.

Igor Paixao – 8/10 Igor Paixao was a constant threat on the wing. He teed up Weah for the second goal and showed sharp instincts to make it 3-0 five minutes after half-time. He forced Gallon into a save on the hour and played on through a shoulder knock until he was replaced in stoppage time.

Amine Gouiri – 7/10 Amine Gouiri was the focal point of the attack and provided the assist for Paixao’s goal. His cross from a quickly taken free-kick was only half-cleared for Abdelli to score the fourth, though he was caught offside twice.

Substitutes & Manager

Neal Maupay – 5/10 Neal Maupay replaced Gouiri on 78 minutes but struggled to make an impact as Le Havre took control. He was booked deep into stoppage time.

Keyliane Abdallah – 5/10 Keyliane Abdallah came on for Harit in the 78th minute and spent most of his cameo defending as the tide turned.

Nouhoum Kamissoko – 5/10 Nouhoum Kamissoko replaced Abdelli on 84 minutes and was thrown straight into Marseille’s most chaotic spell of the afternoon.

Angel Gomes – 5/10 Angel Gomes came on for Hojbjerg to a mixed reception from the Velodrome and had little chance to make an impact.

Ulisses Garcia – N/A Ulisses Garcia was brought on for Paixao in stoppage time to shore up the defence.

Bruno Genesio – 6/10 Bruno Genesio set his team up to blitz Le Havre, and the 4-0 lead was a testament to his plan. However, Marseille lost their grip after his changes, and they came within a VAR decision of throwing away two points.