Advantage Marseille ...
The French club Olympique de Marseille (OM) payed at visit to PARKEN Stadium Thursday evening, and the french side ended up being the team with the most reason to smile when the game was over, as they won 3-1.
By Jan Eliassen
The home-team F.C. Copenhagen was the better team for most of the match, but unfortunately the Lions didn’t score – even though they had their chances. When the goal finally came, it was only to tie the game at 1-1, six minutes after Niang had given the visitors the lead – on something that probably was Olympique de Marseille’s first opportunity in front of goal.
The last ten minutes of the game belonged to OM, and instead of going home to Stade Velodrome with a 1-1-draw, Ben Arfa and Charles Kaboré added further pain to the home-team, as they gave OM a very big advantage before next weeks fixture in France.
At the press conference after the match, F.C. Copenhagen coach Ståle Solbakken said:
- This result means our European Campaign is over got this season, as our chance to advance is very very slim. I had thought this could happen – I knew we would play a good team, but I also believe, that had we had a good day at the “office”, then things would have been looking very differently. We missed out in the crucial situations, and I’m not very pleased with the loss. We now have to travel to France with almost no chance of further play this spring. Had we scored the first game, then we would have had a good chance next Thursday.
PLAYER REACTIONS
Johan Wiland: - Not good enough!
- This wasn’t good enough, and I’m the one to blame for the 2-1 goal. Arfa does mishit the ball slightly and that fools me, but still, I should have saved it. This annoys me, as it happened just as we were about to take control again. It will be difficult to win and advance in Marseille, but stranger things have happened in football before ...
Dame N’Doye: - We tried and tried
- I think we kept on trying, and I think we were unlucky, We were the better team, and we did well – especially when you consider this was our first “real” game of the year. We dominated most of the game – and then they score – but these things happen. To win in Marseille, we’ll have to work hard … but who knows what will happen …
César Santin: - We had the chance
- We matched them all the way – or at least the first 80 minutes. We weren’t good enough the last ten minutes, but we played a good game and had our chances in front of goal – but we have to give them credit, as they scored three goals on three chances.
>>>>> Pictures from F.C. Copenhagen - Olympique de Marseille
