Olympique de Marseille’s flawless run in Ligue 1 came crashing down with a 2-1 defeat to Lens, a night marked by Benjamin Pavard’s unfortunate errors that proved decisive.
Perfect Run Broken
After five consecutive victories, Gennaro Gattuso’s men faltered at the worst possible time, surrendering their place at the top of the table to Paris Saint-Germain.
Marseille looked short of confidence and composure, undone by costly defensive lapses that undid their early promise.
PSG had earlier piled on the pressure with a 3-0 triumph over Brest, and Marseille’s response fell flat. Coming off a 2-1 Champions League defeat to Sporting CP, warning signs were clear, a strong start once again gave way to a costly collapse.
Mason Greenwood continued his fine form by opening the scoring in the 15th minute with a thunderous strike from distance, his seventh goal of the campaign.
But Lens, buoyed by their home crowd, quickly turned the tide, punishing Marseille’s mistakes to snatch all three points and leapfrog them in the standings.
Pavard’s Forgettable Night
For Benjamin Pavard, it was an evening to forget. The French defender conceded a penalty midway through the first half after tripping Odsonne Édouard in the box, allowing the striker to equalize with a cool Panenka.
His woes deepened after the interval when a misjudged clearance from Adrien Thomasson’s corner ended up in his own net, a cruel twist that sealed Marseille’s fate.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang nearly salvaged a draw with a long-range strike, but goalkeeper Robin Risser denied him superbly, while Gerónimo Rulli’s late save prevented further damage.
The defeat drops Marseille to third, with Lens climbing to second and PSG reclaiming the summit. For Pavard and Gattuso’s side, it was a humbling reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the title race.
