Marseille Edge Past Metz to Climb to Second in Ligue 1

Olympique de Marseille secured a 3-1 victory over bottom side Metz on Wednesday night, a result that sees them climb into second place in Ligue 1, at least temporarily. The win, secured by goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Luis Henrique Paixão, and Hamed Traoré, was more hard-fought than the scoreline suggests against the league's last-placed team.

Aubameyang opened the scoring in the 13th minute, finishing a Mason Greenwood assist to give the hosts an early lead at the Stade Vélodrome. Marseille, under manager Habib Beye, dominated the first half but were denied a second by Metz goalkeeper Pape Sy and the woodwork, which denied Gauthier Hein an equalizer just before halftime.

Marseille doubled their lead just after the restart, with Luis Henrique Paixão finishing a swift counter-attack. However, Metz responded immediately, with Giorgi Tsitaichvili scoring just 60 seconds later to halve the deficit. The visitors pressed for an equalizer, but substitute Hamed Traoré sealed the three points for Marseille with a third goal deep into added time.

The victory, confirmed by the final 3-1 scoreline, temporarily lifts Marseille to second in the Ligue 1 table, two points ahead of Lille, who have a game in hand. Metz, who remain eight points from safety with only five matches remaining, appear increasingly destined for relegation to Ligue 2.

The win provides a significant boost for Marseille’s European qualification hopes, moving them three points clear of third-place Monaco. For Metz, the defeat, while showing spirit, leaves them with a monumental task to avoid the drop. The result underscores Marseille's resilience under Beye, who has overseen a steady run of form, while Metz's 15th defeat of the season pushes them closer to the drop.