Ligue 1 champions Lille got their 2021/22 campaign off to a dismal start as they drew Metz 3-3. Jorge Sampaoli’s Marseille, in turn, came from two goals down to beat Montpellier 3-2.
After a summer of wholesale changes, Marseille travelled to Montpellier for their opening game of the 2021/22 Ligue 1 season. Sampaoli lined his team up in a 3-3-1-3 formation, with summer signings Luan Peres, William Saliba, Matteo Guendouzi, Gerson, Konrad De La Fuente, and Cengiz Under all making their official debuts.
It was one of the Marseille debutants who opened the scoring, albeit at the wrong end. Luan Peres was the unfortunate defender whose touch inadvertently diverted a cross from Andy Delort past the veteran goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.
Les Olympiens fell behind in the 30th minute, and four minutes later, they were two goals down; Montpellier’s Gaetan Laborde putting his team in the driving seat with a remarkable curled effort from the right channel.
Two of Marseille’s new signings combined to pull a goal back in the 68th minute. Konrad took on his defender and beat him before driving to the byline and playing the ball across the penalty box, where Under was waiting unmarked to tap the ball into an unguarded net.
Seven minutes later, Marseille were level, thanks to a Dimitri Payet special from a set-piece. Payet then scored the winner in the 80th minute, as he collected the ball high up the pitch before driving forward with it and slotting it calmly into the corner.
Lille came from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 against Metz in their league opener. The French champions took the lead in the 23rd minute when defender Sven Botman flicked on a Yusuf Yazici cross into the net. However, Metz fought back and took the lead before half-time.
Fabien Centonze scored the equalizer in the 31st minute before Mattieu Udol put the home side 2-1 up ten minutes later. Centonze scored again in the 52nd minute to extend Metz’s lead to 3-1.
However, Boubacar Kouyate saw red for the home team in the 56th minute, allowing Lille to play the remaining forty minutes with a man advantage. Les Dogues used it to their benefit and scored twice late on through Jonathan Ikone and Burak Yilmaz to rescue a point.
