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SportsOGC Nice Beat Marseille 3-0 in Friendly; Marseille's Experimental Defense Concedes Three
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In a preseason friendly played under heavy rain at La Commanderie, OGC Nice defeated Olympique de Marseille 3-0. Marseille coach Bruno Genesio fielded an experimental defense without key players Nayef Aguerd, Facundo Medina, or Leonardo Balerdi. Nice took a 2-0 lead by halftime with goals from Mantsounga (20th minute) and Sofiane Diop (42nd minute). Despite some visible tactical principles from Genesio, including a high block and pressing, Marseille could not score. Neal Maupay came close early in the second half, but Nice sealed the win with a third goal by young prospect Abdoulaye Camara, assisted by Mohamed-Ali Cho. Both teams made heavy substitutions in the second half. Marseille will next face Nîmes in another closed-door friendly before gala matches against Athletic Bilbao and Atlético Madrid.
Source report
After the highs of Abidjan last weekend, Olympique de Marseille came crashing back down to earth this Saturday afternoon, losing to OGC Nice under a black sky and driving rain at La Commanderie. The conditions were far more inviting than the hailstones that had fallen on the area earlier in the morning.
Experimental Defense
Bruno Genesio fielded an experimental backline, missing Nayef Aguerd, Facundo Medina, and Leonardo Balerdi. In front of starting goalkeeper Jeffrey De Lange—filling in for the absent Gerónimo Rulli—CJ Egan-Riley looked like the veteran of the central defense. He was partnered by young Hilan Hamzaoui, who had played only a handful of minutes in Ligue 1 last May during a dismal 3-0 defeat in Nantes. On the flanks, Emerson Palmieri started on the left, with another youngster, Kelyann Bezahaf, on the right.
Genesio's Principles Begin to Show
The backline faltered on a well-worked Nice move finished by Mantsounga in the 20th minute, and then fumbled on a central situation finished by Sofiane Diop in the 42nd minute. At halftime, Nice led 2-0, with clear efficiency.
Before the goals, OM had taken control of the match following an initial move led by Jonathan Clauss. It took two sharp interventions from Nice goalkeeper Teddy Boulhendi to prevent Igor Paixao from opening the scoring. A high block, pressing, and counter-pressing—Bruno Genesio's principles began to emerge, with an Angel Gomes–Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg pairing in midfield and a Mmadi–Harit–Paixao trio feeding Neal Maupay up front.
Second Half Action
The former OGC Nice striker came close to reducing the deficit early in the second half with a header. However, after another Marseille opportunity, Nice scored a third goal: a raid by Mohamed-Ali Cho was finished from close range by young Abdoulaye Camara, a 17-year-old prospect.
Both teams rotated heavily in the second half. Geoffrey Kondogbia, Ulisses Garcia, Himad Abdelli, and Keyliane Abdallah came on in the 46th minute. Bamo Meïté, loaned last season to Lorient, also saw action for the final half-hour.
Upcoming Fixtures
OM will face Nîmes on July 30 at La Commanderie in another closed-door friendly, before two gala matches at the Vélodrome:
- August 9: vs. Athletic Bilbao
- August 14: vs. Diego Simeone's Atlético Madrid
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