L1 : 35th match day OM vs NANCY

Nancy-OM: Back to the league
After the Coupe de France in midweek, the Olympians return to league action this Saturday with the visit of Nancy to the Stade Vélodrome. Four games from the end of the season, every point counts, especially at home. It’s the chance for OM to continue their recent good form…



OM-NANCY
Ligue 1, Week 34
Saturday 15 April – 20:00 - Stade Vélodrome

The scene has changed. The stunning win over Lyon has been put to one side. It’s back to the league this Saturday. But against Nancy, the aim is the same: win in front of their fans, before taking on Rennes in the semi-final of the Coupe de France this Thursday.
They are two games with different stakes, but Jean Fernandez’s men are out to “give it absolutely everything,” announced Mamadou Niang. “We have to exploit every chance we get and we can’t afford to focus on one competition to the detriment of another. The aim is to go as far as possible in both.” The cards are on the table. But it remains to be seen just how OM will approach this match against one of the promoted sides, with little left to play for in the remainder of the league season and who, above all, will be playing in the final of the Coupde de la Ligue next Saturday, 22 April. Can Nancy, 12 in the league, be considered a trap? Fernandez prefers to remain prudent: “In football, everything changes very quickly. The match against Lyon was great for the morale. Now we can’t afford to get carried away but I think the players are ready for this match. We have to attack this match with humility and play to our strengths to avoid falling into any traps. I’ve told the players this week : They have to be careful.”

The same formation
Since the Nantes victory, OM has modified its formation. Usually Fernandez played a 4-4-2 or 5-3-2 formation with a central strike pair up front. Today, Niang is a third attacking prong and the results have been satisfying. Despite the defeat to Monaco, OM have knocked off both Nantes and Lyon away, scoring five goals in the process. It’s a new attacking vigour that so far, hasn’t affected the quality of the OM defence: “Even if we are playing in this way, we are still doing a lot of defensive work. The coach chose a set of tactics and we put them into practice in the match. It calls for more work, but it’s paying off,” claimed Niang. There’s no question of changing a winning formula and the coach will start “with the same line-up for Nancy.” The only expected change will be Alain Cantareil coming in for the suspended Taiwo at left-back. Wilson Oruma, back after a sore knee is also in the squad.

A good preparation for Rennes
With the heroic match against Lyon and qualification for the semi-finals of the Coupe de France, OM couldn’t have hoped for a better preparation for the Nancy game. Confidence is growing and will continue to grow with another success: The best way to prepare for the Rennes match is to play well against Nancy. If you look at the stats, the Lorraine outfit has the fourth-best defence in Ligue 1 and they’re a team that has already registered some very good results on the road,” announced Fernandez. OM will once again count on their fans, who always give 100%...

Paul-Roland Casabianca



Referee: Mr Ruffray
Suspended OM: Taiwo
Suspended Nancy: Lécluse

ASNL
Players to watch: Zerka, Sarkissian, Kim
Absent: Adailton, Keita, Curbelo
Current standings: 12th with 44 points
Last result: Nancy 0-0 Lille


BARTHEZ

BEYE - CIVELLI - DEHU - CANTAREIL

LAMOUCHI - CANA

RIBERY
MAOULIDA - PAGIS - NIANG

Substitutes: Carrasso, Ferreira, Méité, Nasri, Oruma (or Gimenez)
Absent: Cesar (injured), Quesnel, Bonnissel, Andre Luis, Delfim

 

OM 6-0 Nancy: Visitors hit for six
A buoyant OM thrashed Nancy, 6-0, at the Stade Velodrome on Saturday. Niang, Maoulida and Pagis all hit doubles.



OM 6-0 NANCY
1-0 Niang (12’)
2-0 Niang (32’)
3-0 Maoulida (52’)
4-0 Maoulida (64’)
5-0 Pagis (89’)
6-0 Pagis (90+2’)

Fans at the Stade Vélodrome witnessed a veritable demonstration of attacking football as OM dismantled and then demolished Nancy on Saturday night. The host hurrican whipped up a frenzy in the Vél public as the Mexican wave tore through the stands.
And of course there was the score to go with it. OM proved that this end of season is still laced with promise.
With just one change (Cantareil in for the suspended Taiwo) OM aligned the same team that had upset Lyon with the same attacking diamond comprising Ribéry – Maoulida – Niang - Pagis. The formula had worked at the Stade Gerland and at La Beaujoire but against Nancy is stepped up yet another gear and exploded the league’s third-best defence.
Each attacker got his name on the scoresheet – twice – while Franck Ribéry set the field alight with every touch.
Mamadou Niang opened festivities in the 11th minute, firing home off the inside of the bar. After scoring with the left, i twas time for the right foot to pass the ball into an empty net after Maoulida’s but back just after the half-hour.
The score blew out after the break. Merciless in front of goal, the Phocéens made martyrs out of Nancy’s hapless defence and ‘keeper. After being put through by Cana, Maoulida won his duel with Bracigliano for the third goal (52’).
The Lorraine outfits situation was deteriorating by the minute. Maoulida got his message (“For France’s best fans”) out again on 64 minutes as he shot passed the ‘keeper after Niang played him in (4-0).
And Pagis? After working hard for the team, finally the former Strasbourg’s player’s time came to shine. A chip with the right foot opened his personal account (5-0, 88’) before he scored a simply splendid second. Barthez’s clearance, which the Nancy defence tried to lay all the way back to their ‘keeper was intercepted by Pagi sis lobbed Bracigliano. 6-0. The Vélodrome was enthralled and already looking forward to the next instalment in the semi-final of the Coupe de France next Thursday against Rennes.