Marseille travelled to Ajaccio on Friday night with the view of continuing their recently improved Ligue 1 form.
Les Phoceens picked up their first win since the end of September last time out thanks to a late 2-1 win over Sochaux, while, Ajaccio found themselves just a point above bottom spot in the table having picked up two points from an available 18 over their past six games.
In an entertaining game, Marseille ran out 3-1 winners at the Stade Francois Coty to move back into the top four.
Read how the match unfolded in our live commentary below.
Good evening and welcome back to Sports Mole's live coverage of Ligue 1 action where Ajaccio host Marseille tonight at the Stade Francois Coty.
French football is on a high right now following the nation's dramatic progression to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil during the week. It all looked doom and gloom for Les Bleus after losing 2-0 in Kiev on Friday, but France stormed back against Ukraine to record a 3-0 fightback in Paris on Tuesday night to book a spot in South America next year. They made hard work of it, but France are going to the World Cup.
With the future of the national team sorted, our attention turns back to the county's top tier, where a struggling Ajaccio will be desperate to climb away from the bottom of the table against a resurgent Marseille side who are looking to continue their recent upturn in results.
We're just moments away from kick off, here are the teams.
AJACCIO XI: Ochoa, Hengbart, Perozo, Dielna, Crescenzi, Andre, Pierazzi, Cavalli, Lasne, Eduardo, Tallo
MARSEILLE XI: Mandanda, Abdallah, Nkoulou, Diawara, Mendy, Cheyrou, Thauvin, Payet, Romao, Valbuena, Gignac
The teams are out, and we're ready for kick off.
KICKOFF! The match is underway.
Ajaccio, playing from right to left, are sporting their all-white home kit this evening with red trim.
Marseille are in their all-navy away strip, shooting to the right.
Nothing in the way of chances so far in these early stages. Ajaccio have controlled the possession count, but have nothing to show from it so far.
OFF THE POST! First opportunity of the game and it falls to Gignac of Marseille. He curls a cross in from the left which bends towards goal and smacks off the near post. I think Ochoa in goal had it covered though.
Panic stations in the Marseille box as Lasne whips in a corner for the hosts, but the visitors can eventually clear.
Ajaccio are really taking it to Marseille here whenever they're in possession. The visitors have just started to take more control of the ball, but the hosts are all over them like a rash in an instant.
It must be winter, because Baup is donning his favourite Marseille beanie on the touchline.
Brief spate of handbags on the touchline here after a late tackle. Most players are involved in a little bit of pushing after Cavalli angrily reacted to a shove from Thauvin.
YELLOW CARDS Both Cavalli and Thauvin go into the book for that altercation, and the game will continue.
Marseille have a free kick in a decent position on the right of the box.
Valbuena curls it into the centre of the area, where it is left completely untouched and forces Ochoa into a late diving punch to clear the danger.
Ajaccio clear and break down the other end before winning a free kick in the exact same situation.
CHANCE! Lasne curls in a free kick with real venom towards the penalty spot and Tallo can get his head to it in a crowd of bodies, but he flicks it wide of the far post.
OFF THE POST! Almost a goal of real class from Gignac. He takes the ball down the left before cutting inside and unleashing a powerful curling shot which is flying towards the bottom corner at the far post. Ochoa flings himself to his left and just gets faint fingertips to the ball before watching it come back of the frame of the goal. That's twice Gignac has now hit the post.
The game is really starting to open up now and a few challenges are flying in. The tempo is rising rapidly at the Stade Francois Coty.
Ajaccio are starting to get back on top in terms of possession. They're trying to slow the pace down, which won't play into the favour of Marseille.
GOAL! Ajaccio 0-1 Marseille (Dimitri Payet)
What a superb finish from Payet to put Marseille ahead. Valbuena passes the ball to the edge of the box from the right, where Payet wraps his foot around it first time under pressure to guide the ball into the bottom corner of the net with real curl. Excellent finish and Marseille draw first blood.
It will be interesting to see how Ajaccio respond to this. They were very up for this clash prior to falling behind, and don't have a great record when it comes to battling back this season.
Lasne wins a free kick down the right after going down under the challenge of Nkoulou. Dangerous position this.
GOAL! Ajaccio 1-1 Marseille (Grenddy Perozo)
I told you it was dangerous, and Ajaccio have found a leveller! Lasne picks himself up to curl it towards the far post, where Perozo finds himself unmarked to meet the ball with a low header and helps it into the far corner. Poor defending from Marseille, but what a recovery from the hosts.
Now it's Marseille's time to respond.
MISS! Huge chance for Marseille to instantly go back ahead, and they really muck it up among themselves. Payet finesses a shot from the edge of the box towards the bottom corner, which forces a good save from Ochoa. However, he pushes it straight in front of him to Thauvin, who is ready to tuck the ball home, but Gignac comes out of nowhere to snatch the chance wide. Awful communication there.
This has been a really good first half so far.
Great position for a free kick for Marseille here. Valbuena is over the ball with his right foot just outside the left edge of the box.
Valbuena pings it into the wall. Real waste.
GOAL! Ajaccio 1-2 Marseille (Andre-Pierre Gignac)
Oh my word, that could be the goal of the season right there. Marseille put a cross in from the right which lands to Gignac on the edge of box. Facing away from goal, he chests the ball away to the edge of the D, before smashing the ball on the turn and watching it fizz into the top right corner of the net like a rocket. No chance for Ochoa to stop that, what an unreal hit from the big man.
CLOSE! Payet clearly wants in on the goal of the season contest, as he hits a dipping effort on the half-volley from the left corner of the box which flies just over the bar. Ochoa had no chance again there.
Marseille are really in the mood since that superb Gignac goal.
HALF TIME: Ajaccio 1-2 Marseille
What a brilliant first half that was, thoroughly entertaining. Gignac's worldie separates the two sides after Perozo had cancelled out Payet's opener for Marseille.
Let's bring you the half-time stats then.
Match statistics:
Ajaccio:
Shots 4
On target 1
Possession 51%
Corners 1
Fouls 10
Marseille:
Shots 7
On target 3
Possession 49%
Corners 0
Fouls 12
The teams are back out at Stade Francois Coty.
KICK OFF! Ajaccio, playing from left to right, get the second half underway.
YELLOW CARD Pierazzi takes the leg of Valbuena away from behind, as Marseille found themselves in a 3 vs 2 situation.
SAVE! Valbuena, from the edge of the D, curls it low towards the bottom corner, but Ochoa comes across to push the ball away. Good stop.
Good start to the half, with Marseille edging it so far.
YELLOW CARD Perozo goes into the book for a challenge on Gignac. Free kick Marseille on the left of the box.
Payet bends the ball to the far post where it is just beginning to be slammed into the back of the net, but Marseille can't quite get to the ball first, and Ajaccio eventually keep hold of it.
Chances for both sides at either end. Cavalli side-footed an effort from the right of the six-yard box straight at Mandanda with his left, before Thauvin works his way into the ball before poking the effort into the path of Ochoa.
CLOSE! Marseille work a shooting chance as Payet knocks the ball inside to Cheyrou. He gets his foot through it, but it's deflected behind for a corner.
GOAL! Ajaccio 1-3 Marseille (Florian Thauvin)
That could be game over. Payet creates a lovely chance from the left and cross the ball to the far post. Thauvin isn't picked up, and can finish well into the bottom corner from close range.
Looks as if that will be it now. Marseille are well on top, and Ajaccio seem to have had the stuffing knocked out of them as a result of that third goal.
AJACCIO CHANGE Tallo has been replaced by striker Aboubacar Camara.
AJACCIO CHANGE Cavalli is off, with Goncalves taking his place.
Thauvin cuts in from the left and has a chance to take a pop at goal, but he wildly slices his effort wide of the far post.
Gignac is caught by Perozo at the bottom of his foot, but the Ajaccio man escapes a second yellow. Gignac has been brilliant so far tonight.
Ajaccio have barely had the ball since falling even further behind. Marseille are looking quite good for a fourth.
AJACCIO CHANGE Final substitution for the hosts as Arrache replaces Eduardo.
MARSEILLE CHANGE Mario Lemina is brought on in place of Mathieu Valbuena.
The game has hit a bit of a scrappy period. Neither side can really keep hold of the ball at the moment.
SAVE! Gignac is oozing confidence tonight. He runs onto a lovely ball down the left from Payet, skips past a defender on the byline before trying to nutmeg Ochoa, but the Mexican can stand firm.
MARSEILLE CHANGE Gignac takes a bit of a knock and the visitors aren't taking any risks. They send on Jordan Ayew.
Marseille look to be back in form then, they've got Arsenal in the Champions League next.
YELLOW CARD Camara picks up a booking for a late foul on Diawara.
Marseille are just running the clock down now by keeping possession. Ajaccio seem to have accepted defeat.
MARSEILLE CHANGE Khalifa is on for the final few minutes, with Thauvin.
Thauvin has certainly impressed once again tonight. He has an outside chance of making France's World Cup squad.
Really good chance for Marseille there, but Ayew ignores his free options on the left and right before firing a long-range shot wide. Very greedy and very poor.
We'll have three minutes of added time.
SAVE! This time Ayew makes the right decision as he fires a shot towards the top corner from the right side of the box, but Ochoa pulls off a fine stop.
CLOSE! Ayew has his third effort in as many minutes. He cuts in from the left on the byline and tries to bend the ball into the far corner. Ochoa may have had it covered, but it flies just wide.
FULL TIME: Ajaccio 1-3 Marseille
Well that's it, and Marseille pick up a deserved victory to move back into the top four.
Payet, Gignac and Thauvin all played superbly and scored for the visitors, with Perozo temporarily levelling for the hosts.
Before I go, let's take a look at the full-time stats.
Match statistics:
Ajaccio:
Shots 10
On target 3
Possession 50%
Corners 5
Fouls 16
Marseille:
Shots 19
On target 7
Possession 50%
Corners 1
Fouls 19
Well that's it from me, I'll be back on Sunday to bring you more Ligue 1 action. From me, Matt Cotton, it's good night.
Written by
Matt Cotton
Matt Cotton
