Aguerd Nets Early Goal as Marseille Beats PSG
Aguerd’s Early Strike Hands Marseille Historic Win Over PSG
Marseille secured a memorable victory over PSG at the Velodrome, thanks to a lightning-fast goal from Moroccan defender Nayef Aguerd. The West Ham United signing, fresh from the transfer window, scored just five minutes into the match, marking his second goal in as many Ligue 1 appearances for his new club.
PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier came off his line to intercept a deflected Mason Greenwood cross, but could not reach it, leaving Aguerd free to head the ball into an empty net. That early strike proved decisive as Marseille held on for a historic win.
“We are not used to losing games,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique. “I thought we played well and deserved a bit more. It is always difficult to lose a game like this, but we are a team of champions and need to prepare as best as we can for the next match.”
The blockbuster fixture, one of the biggest in French football, was initially scheduled for Sunday but postponed by a day due to heavy rainfall warnings. The rescheduling created extra challenges for PSG, coinciding with the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in Paris, where several of their players, including Ousmane Dembele, were nominated for the men’s player of the year award. Dembele, the Champions League’s top scorer last season, missed the Marseille clash due to injury.
PSG were also without Desire Doue and Joao Neves, forcing Achraf Hakimi to move from right-back to the wing. Despite fielding a strong squad, Marseille defended their early lead expertly.
Aguerd’s goal was historic, being the first time Marseille had scored at home against PSG in Ligue 1 since 2017. Amine Gouiri came close to extending the lead, hitting the post, and Marseille even had a goal disallowed for offside in the first half. After the break, goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli made crucial saves to keep PSG at bay.
The match ended with some drama, as Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi received a late red card on the touchline.
The defeat marks PSG’s first loss of the season, dropping them from the top of the Ligue 1 table behind Monaco on goals scored. Both PSG and Marseille now have 12 points, with Lyon and Strasbourg completing the top four, while Marseille sits sixth, three points behind the leaders.
“I think we deserved this win against a team that is defining an era, similar to Sacchi’s Milan or Guardiola’s Barcelona,” said De Zerbi. “They play football differently, and that makes my players’ performance even more valuable.”
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