Teenage sensation Ethan Nwaneri enjoyed a dream debut on Saturday night, scoring a stunning solo goal to help Olympique de Marseille secure a vital 3-1 victory over high-flying RC Lens at the Orange Vélodrome. The win ends a ten-game unbeaten streak for the visitors and reshapes the race at the summit of Ligue 1.
The result carries significant weight for the French title picture. Lens entered the weekend as surprise leaders but failed to reclaim the top spot from Paris Saint-Germain, who had moved ahead on Friday. Marseille, meanwhile, have closed the gap to just five points behind Lens, reinforcing their own credentials as genuine contenders in the upper reaches of the table.
Marseille wasted no time asserting their authority in front of a raucous home crowd. Amine Gouiri opened the scoring in just the third minute, poking a deflected effort past goalkeeper Robin Risser after a chaotic scramble in the penalty area. The early goal set the tone for a first half dominated by the tactical aggression of Roberto De Zerbi’s side.
The highlight of the evening arrived ten minutes later through Nwaneri. Only 24 hours after arriving on loan from Arsenal, the 18-year-old midfielder collected the ball near the halfway line and embarked on a driving run toward the Lens box. Showing remarkable composure, the England under-21 international shifted the ball onto his left foot and swept a 20-metre strike into the bottom corner.
Marseille’s dominance was further rewarded in the 75th minute when Gouiri secured his brace. The Algerian international reacted quickest to a low, precision delivery from Timothy Weah, tapping in from close range to make it 3-0. Although Lens substitute Rayan Fofana managed a late consolation goal in the 85th minute, it was far too late to spark a comeback for the northern side.
Before the match, De Zerbi had challenged his players to respond to a difficult week, which included a disappointing European performance against Liverpool. He even opted to rest league top scorer Mason Greenwood to keep him fresh for upcoming Champions League fixtures, a gamble that paid off handsomely through the contributions of Nwaneri and fellow debutant Quinten Timber.
Lens coach Pierre Sage remained philosophical despite the defeat, which snapped a run of eight consecutive league wins. He noted that the loss did not undermine his team's impressive start to the season or their ambitions for a European spot.
The victory lifts Marseille to 38 points after 19 matches, placing them third in the standings. Lens remains in second place with 43 points, trailing leaders Paris Saint-Germain by two points. Both clubs now look toward a busy February as the domestic and European schedules intensify.
