[monks data]

Ligue 1

Feb 27, 2015 at 7.30pm UK

Marseille
2-3
Caen

Ayew (45'), Gignac (64')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Seube (67'), Sala (70'), Benezet (87')

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Football

Marseille stunned by Caen comeback

By Joe Fish, Reporter | 27 February 2015

Marseille drop more points in the Ligue 1 title race as they surrender a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home to Caen, with Nicolas Benezet scoring an 87th-minute winner.

Marseille dropped more points in the Ligue 1 title race as they surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Caen at the Stade Velodrome this evening.

Goals from Andre Ayew and Andre-Pierre Gignac helped Marseille recover from an early penalty miss and put them on course to regain second place in the table.

Caen's Argentinian forward Emiliano Sala celebrates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Marseille (OM) and Caen (SMC) on February 27, 2015 © Getty Images

However, Nicolas Seube and Emiliano Sala struck within two second-half minutes before Nicolas Benezet scored a late winner to cap a famous fightback.

It should have been a dream start for the hosts as Michy Batshuayi earned a second-minute penalty under the challenge of Alaeddine Yahia, only to have his spot kick saved by Remi Vercoutre.

The Belgian squandered a couple more decent chances as Marseille initially failed to make their first-half dominance pay, with Florian Thauvin and Lucas Ocampos also going close either side of Ayew hitting the post.

Ayew was the man who finally got the breakthrough as he thumped into the bottom corner on the stroke of half time, and Gignac doubled his side's lead on 63 minutes, pouncing on the rebound of Bernard Mendy's shot.

Marseille's Ghanaian forward Andre Ayew celebrates with a teammate after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Marseille (OM) and Caen (SMC) on February 27, 2015 © Getty Images

Marcelo Bielsa's team seemed on their way to a 12th home win of the season, but Seube converted Thomas Lemar's cross at the back post on 68 minutes and Sala soon equalised with his second in as many games.

The striker, who had been denied at point-blank range by Steve Mandanda in the first half, calmly tucked beyond the France goalkeeper from inside the box after N'Golo Kante supplied him to finish a swift counter-attack.

Marseille sought a response as Thauvin and Ayew sent shots off target, but they were dealt an even bigger sucker punch when Benezet curled into the top corner from the edge of the box to snatch Caen three unlikely points.

A fourth game without a win, three of which have been against bottom-half sides, leaves Bielsa's men four points adrift of leaders Lyon and third behind Paris Saint-Germain, while Caen climb five places to ninth in the table.