Marseille had a challenging first 40 minutes in the match against Lorient, with the Bretons being aggressive, particularly in their efforts to disrupt Marseille’s passing game. Despite the early struggles, Marseille managed to finish the first period strongly.
Lorient applied pressure on Marseille, especially in recovering the ball early, creating difficulties for the Phocaeans. The attacking efforts from Lorient, including an attempt by Aboubacar stopped by Lucas Mendes on the edge of the penalty area, posed a threat to Marseille’s defense. There was a suggestion that the referee could have potentially sanctioned a particular action during this period.
The Lorient wave seemed to repeatedly trouble Marseille’s defense, but they were unable to convert their opportunities into goals. Matthieu Valbuena, on the other hand, created two chances, but Lorient’s goalkeeper, Fabien Audard, had a calm afternoon.
The score at the end of the first period may be considered flattering for Marseille, especially considering the absence of André-Pierre Gignac, who played at a seemingly subdued pace. Despite the challenges faced early on, Marseille appears to have regrouped and managed to maintain their performance, allowing them to finish the period on a positive note.
