Olympique de Marseille survived a frantic late-game collapse to defeat Le Havre 4-3 at the Stade Vélodrome, holding on despite conceding three goals in the final fifteen minutes and surviving a late video review for a penalty.

Marseille Builds a Four-Goal Lead Before the Collapse

Marseille controlled the match through the opening hour and into the second half, building a commanding 4-0 advantage at home against Le Havre. The performance initially offered the club a much-needed reference point during an inconsistent start to the domestic campaign. However, the comfortable margin vanished rapidly.

The unraveling began when Marseille captain Timothy Weah committed an avoidable shirt pull inside the penalty area. Referee Clément Turpin pointed to the spot, and Josh Maja converted the resulting 77th-minute penalty to cut the deficit to 4-1. While the goal gave the visitors a foothold, the scoreline still appeared secure for the hosts entering the final stages of regulation.

Kaito Mizuta Sparks Late Le Havre Comeback

Le Havre substitute Kaito Mizuta transformed the closing minutes after entering the match in the 84th minute. The Japanese midfielder immediately injected pace and creativity into the visitor’s attack, orchestrating two quick goals that stunned the Stade Vélodrome crowd.

Mizuta drove past defender Kamissoko down the flank in the 86th minute to set up teammate N’Diaye for Le Havre’s second goal, narrowing the score to 4-2. Just three minutes later, Mizuta flighted a precise free-kick onto the head of Maja, who nodded past the Marseille defense to make it 4-3 in the 89th minute. The flurry of goals left Marseille defending desperately as seven minutes of stoppage time commenced.

Clément Turpin Maintains No-Call After Video Review

Referee Clément Turpin indicated seven minutes of additional time, prompting Marseille manager Bruno Génésio to withdraw goalscorer Paixao in favor of defensive reinforcement Ulisses Garcia. The tactical adjustment absorbed intense pressure until the fifth minute of stoppage time, when a penalty appeal threatened to equalize the match.

Le Havre appealed for a handball against Marseille midfielder Nnadi following a scramble involving Mizuta inside the box. Referee Turpin initially waved play on before being directed to the pitchside monitor by the video assistant referee. Replays showed the ball striking Nnadi near the torso and armpit. After a lengthy review, Turpin returned to the pitch and upheld his original decision not to award a penalty.

Final Whistle Brings Relief and Eighth Place

Following the video review, Le Havre missed one final scoring opportunity when Mizuta lifted a shot over the crossbar. The final whistle sounded shortly thereafter, bringing an immense wave of relief to the Stade Vélodrome.

While the performance raised defensive concerns for the club, Marseille secured three crucial points that elevate the team to eighth place in the Ligue 1 standings.