Santiago Hezze Header Condemns Marseille to Second Consecutive Europa League Defeat
Santiago Hezze's first-half header proved decisive as Olympiacos defeated Marseille 0-1 at the Orange Vélodrome in Round 2 of the Europa League.
Marseille's European troubles deepened at the Orange Vélodrome as Olympiacos secured a disciplined 1-0 victory in Round 2 of the UEFA Europa League phase. A 42nd-minute header from midfielder Santiago Hezze made the difference, leaving Bruno Genesio's side without a point after two continental fixtures.
Hezze Breaks the Deadlock Before Halftime Drama
In an evenly contested opening spell, Marseille generated a bright spark through academy forward Keyliane Abdallah, who tested Olympiacos goalkeeper Stefan Ortega with a crisp attempt. However, it was the Greek visitors who capitalized on their momentum shortly before the interval.
In the 42nd minute, Chiquinho delivered a precise corner into the penalty area, where Santiago Hezze rose highest to direct a powerful header past Jeffrey De Lange. Olympiacos thought they had doubled their advantage deep into first-half stoppage time when Roman Yaremchuk turned the ball into the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review, keeping the scoreline at 1-0 heading into halftime.
Marseille Push in Vain Against Solid Greek Defence
Marseille sought a response in the second half, dominating possession with 54.5% of the ball and creating 11 total shots and 9 corners. Forward Igor Paixão tested Ortega from distance, while a low cross from the Brazilian winger forced defender Panagiotis Retsos into a dangerous clearance.
Genesio made multiple tactical adjustments, sending on Amine Gouiri, Amine Harit, Ulisses Garcia, Faris Moumbagna, and Geoffrey Kondogbia in an effort to break down the opposition block. Despite their territorial dominance and an expected goals (xG) figure of 0.86, Marseille were unable to beat Ortega, who made 5 critical saves to earn a clean sheet for Imanol Alguacil's squad.
Current Standings and What Lies Ahead
The result leaves Olympiacos near the top of the Europa League standings with six points from two matches, having previously beaten Jagiellonia Białystok 2-1. Conversely, Marseille remain at the bottom end of the league phase table following earlier defeats, making their upcoming fixture against SK Sturm Graz a critical opportunity to revive their European campaign.