French-Guinean defender Bafodé Diakité delivered the defining moment in Lille’s 1-1 draw against Marseille, rising highest to head home an 87th-minute equalizer that rescued a crucial point for the visitors.
Lille had dominated large spells of the match, particularly in the first half, where Jonathan David squandered multiple chances to punish Marseille’s high defensive line. Despite LOSC’s relentless pressure, it was OM who broke the deadlock. A clever midfield sequence unlocked Lille’s defense, with Adrien Rabiot threading a pass to Quentin Merlin, who cut inside and finished clinically past Lucas Chevalier.
Lille pressed hard after the break, with David continually denied by Geronimo Rulli’s brilliance in goal. Marseille nearly doubled their lead when Neal Maupay’s effort struck the post, but as the game wore on, the momentum began to shift.
Then came Diakité’s decisive intervention. Leaping above the Marseille defense, he powered a header into the net, silencing the Stade Vélodrome. The late drama intensified with a red card for Marseille’s Pol Lirola, but neither side found a winner.
Diakité’s second Ligue 1 goal this season underlines his knack for stepping up in critical moments.
