Marseille opened the new Ligue 1 season in emphatic style with a 4-0 victory over Strasbourg at the Stade Velodrome on Friday.
Amine Gouiri scored twice after the interval before substitutes Kellyan Abdallah and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg added late goals to seal a comfortable win for head coach Bruno Genesio in his first official match in charge.
Strasbourg played the final thirty minutes with ten men after midfielder Samir El Mourabet was sent off for striking Hojbjerg shortly after Marseille took the lead.
The victory marked an encouraging start for Marseille, who entered the campaign having overhauled their squad during the off-season. Genesio took over the manager position following several high-profile departures, leaving the team to field a starting lineup without any summer recruits. Strasbourg also began a new era under head coach Hugo Oliveira, who gave debuts to several summer signings including experienced American midfielder Giovanni Reyna.
Dominance and Second-Half Breakdown
Marseille dominated possession during a scoreless first half, creating several promising opportunities. Midfielder Angel Gomes, attacker Amine Harit, and winger Paixao all threatened, but the hosts lacked sharp execution in front of goal. Strasbourg remained dangerous on the counter-attack, displaying the tactical principles introduced by Oliveira.
The breakthrough arrived immediately after the restart in the 46th minute. Paixao drove down the left wing before picking out Gomes, who redirected the ball into the central channel for Gouiri. The Algerian forward placed a low shot across the goalkeeper and into the net to give Marseille the lead.
Strasbourg's task became significantly harder in the 59th minute. El Mourabet, who had shown visible frustration since the start of the second half, was shown a straight red card for a strike on Hojbjerg.
Marseille capitalized on their numerical advantage nine minutes later when the referee awarded them a penalty in the 66th minute. Gouiri stepped up to the spot in the 68th minute and sent Strasbourg goalkeeper Jorgensen the wrong way to double the hosts' lead.
Late Surge at the Velodrome
Despite the setback, Strasbourg attempted to mount an attack. In the 74th minute, Gessime Yassine produced an impressive dribbling run on the edge of the penalty box, only for defender Guela Doue to waste the chance with an inaccurate cross.
Marseille introduced defender Nayef Aguerd in the 75th minute for CJ Egan-Riley, marking Aguerd's return after spending several months in the treatment room. Strasbourg responded in the 78th minute with a triple substitution, sending on Reyna, Demba Diop, and Ortega. One minute later, Aguerd received a yellow card for a heavy foul on Reyna far from the penalty area.
Genesio made a triple substitution of his own in the 83rd minute, bringing on Derek Cornelius, Kellyan Abdallah, and Nnadi to replace Geoffrey Kondogbia, Harit, and Yassine Abdelli. Strasbourg almost pulled a goal back moments later when Yassine struck a half-volley into the side netting.
Marseille put the result beyond doubt in the 89th minute when Abdallah collected the ball and curled a left-footed strike into the net. The young substitute celebrated his goal by performing Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic celebration in front of the home supporters.
Deep into stoppage time, Hojbjerg completed the scoreline in the 90+6th minute. After Strasbourg defender Doue headed a clearance into the central area, the Danish midfielder met the ball with a volley to score Marseille's fourth goal. The referee blew the final whistle in the 90+8th minute to conclude a dominant evening for the home side.
Post-Match Reactions and Upcoming Matches
Speaking to Ligue 1+ after the match, Marseille midfielder Gomes praised the team effort, noting that after a week of hard work, winning 4-0 in front of the supporters was a magnificent feeling. He described Genesio as incredible with the squad and added that while the club was undergoing a complicated transition period, starting the season with a win was very positive.
Strasbourg player Diop admitted to Ligue 1+ that his side had shown positive signs prior to the opening goal. However, he explained that conceding the goal and suffering a red card shortly afterward left Strasbourg with an uphill battle, acknowledging that Marseille were the stronger team on the night.
Marseille head coach Genesio expressed his satisfaction with the performance, stating that matches like these were the reason managers chose the profession. He noted that while his team lacked presence in front of goal during the first half, they exploited the extra man effectively after the break. Genesio praised the commitment and work ethic shown by his players, describing the win as a well-deserved reward for their effort in training while stressing the importance of remaining humble.
Marseille will face another major test in their next Ligue 1 fixture when they travel to face Monaco. Strasbourg will look to bounce back when they host Lens at the Stade de la Meinau.
