December 12th, 2007
St-Etienne Vs. Marseille
Matchday 17
Marseille Starting XI
GK: S.Mandanda-74
LB: T.Taiwo-78
CB: J. Rodriguez-78
CB: G. Givet-79
RB: Hilton-79
CDM: L. Cana (Captain)-81
LM: C. Gonzalez- 82
RM: C. Jedinka- 81
RS: H. Ben Arfa-75
LS: D. Cisse-79
CF: M. Niang-81
St-Etienne Starting XI
GK: J. Janot
RB: L. Perrin
RCB: E. Tavaridis
LCB: Nivaldo
LB: M. Dabo
RM: P Feindouno
RCM: G Dernis
LCM: B. Matuidi
LM: D Payet
RS: Ilan
LS: B. Gomis
Pre Match Report: The atmosphere here at the Stade Geoffry Guichard is electric as we wait for the kickoff. The away fans look to be showing up in huge numbers and making almost as much noise as the home fans. The match tonight is being played in front of a sold out stadium. Everybody thinks this should be one of the matches of the season if not better. Both teams have started out different this season with St-Etienne being atop the table all season until last week, while Marseille have climbed the table all season. Marseille look to be the team with more momentum coming into this game tonight so I choose them to win 3-2. Here comes the teams out onto the pitch now and here comes the flares as well.
First Half: St-Etienne Kickoff
8th min- We have our first chance of the game come and go. Marseille player Niang dribbles down the left flank and dribbles into the box. He looks for the wide open Cisse at the penalty spot, but Nivaldo reads it well and gets to it first.
12th min- GOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!!!! Off of the first corner of the game Marseille have put it in. Gonzalez takes his out swinging corner into the box and Ben Arfa beats his man Matuidi to the ball and redirects it to the back post. The keeper has no chance and has to watch it go into the back of his net.
18th min- Gomis tries a first time volley at the top of the box off of a deflection. His shot goes wide but it was a nice effort.
21st min- The woodwork has saved St-Etienne from being down 2-nil right now. Niang again serves a ball into the box and the on running Cisse gets his head to it but watches it hit the woodwork and cleared from danger.
26th min- Gomis tries with another attempt on goal. His shot is hard and low but Mandanda makes it look easy and dives to his right for the easy save.
31st min- The unexpected has just happened. The visitors are up 2-0 and yes thats right Ben Arfa has scored again. Jedinak gets a nice through ball down the right from Cisse and he serves it in one time. Ben Arfa puts it into the back of the net calmly like he has done it before.......oh wait he has.
Halftime Report: Well the man of the half right now seems to be new boy Ben Arfa. He was mentioned in the player to watch section of the paper yesterday but he was not the player to watch. Well you better keep your eyes on him now with him scoring a brace in the first half. The home fans are sitting in shock while the away fans are going crazy. St-Etienne need to pick there game up in the second half if they want to make this a game.
Second Half: Marseille Kickoff
50th min- St-Etienne see one of there best chances go by without scoring. Feindouno beats Givet down the right side and serves a long cross into the box. Gomis races back to try and get his head to it, but he misses the ball completly. Oh no that could have been a goal for them.
53rd min- Substitution Etienne.
ON: F. Guarin
C. Varrault
OFF: Matuidi
Perrin
Perrin
54th min- Right after the substitutions Gomis has just made this a game. He scores off the low drivin corner to the near post. He deflects the ball past Mandanda to the back post and in.
67th min- Cisse has just made it 3-1. Cisse gets a pass near midfield with a man close on his back. He gets the ball and turns his man. He then uses his speed to leave him in the dust and make it 1v1 with Janot. He slots it cooly into the bottom right corner. The man to watch has put his say into this game now.
78th min- Marseille are showing they have now mercy for there opponent. Cisse has now just made it 4-1. You think that the St-Etienne defence would learn from there mistake last time on Cisse, but obviously they didnt. He turns his tight mark again and goes towards the goal 1v1 again. And he repeats his shot into the lower right corner. A brace from Cisse and Ben Arfa who would have thought?
80th min- Cheyrou and Valbuena make an apperance into the game. Lets see if they can do any damage in ten minutes.
Fulltime whistle is blown.
Post Game Report: A game that everybody thought would be a tough battle turned out to be a lopsided game. Marseille brought it to St-Etienne and showed them that they deserve to be in 1st place. Cisse and Ben Arfa showed why they are two of the top players on the team today. Both of them scoring a brace to show how dominant Marseille was today. The away fans are still in the stadium cheering and celebrating the win. This was a game of goals today and all but one coming from Marseille.
MOM: Hatem Ben Arfa
