Aubameyang on target as Marseille see off Metz to reclaim podium spot
Olympique de Marseille secured a 3-1 victory over FC Metz at the Orange Vélodrome on Saturday, a result that lifts the club back into the Ligue 1 top three. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring, with Vitinha and Ilaix Moriba adding to the scoreline to secure the crucial three points.
Aubameyang, the league's top scorer, opened the scoring in the 13th minute, finishing coolly after being played through by Mason Greenwood. The Gabonese striker's 15th league goal of the season set the tone for a dominant first-half performance from the hosts, who saw further chances from Amine Gouiri and Greenwood go astray. Metz, rooted to the bottom of the table, grew into the game and were unlucky not to equalize before half-time, with Gauthier Hein striking the post just before the interval.
Marseille doubled their lead shortly after the restart through Vitinha, who finished a swift counter-attack with a delicate chip over the onrushing Metz goalkeeper. The visitors, however, hit back immediately, with a stunning individual effort from Georgiy Tsitaichvili reducing the deficit to 2-1 just a minute later to set up a nervy final half-hour. Metz, fighting for their top-flight survival, pressed for an equalizer but found Marseille's defense, marshaled by the returning William Saliba, difficult to break down. The result was sealed in the 90th minute, as substitute Ilaix Moriba fired home from the edge of the box to seal a 3-1 win.
The three points are vital for Marseille’s ambitions of securing a UEFA Champions League spot, moving them back above AS Monaco into third place. For Metz, the defeat leaves them five points from safety with just six games remaining, a significant blow to their hopes of avoiding relegation. The performance of Aubameyang, now with 20 goals in all competitions, will be a particular positive for Marseille as they enter the final stretch of the season, with a crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg on the horizon. The Gabonese forward's 15th league goal of the season, a cool first-time finish, was his 10th goal in his last 12 appearances, underlining his importance to the club's late-season push for Champions League qualification.
