Ruthless start and a debut stunner: marseille vs lens ends 3–1 at a rocking Vélodrome

A flying start and a dream debut carried Marseille past second-place Lens, 3–1, in a statement win at the Orange Vélodrome. In a matchup many searched as marseille vs lens, Amine Gouiri scored inside three minutes and Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri netted on 13’ before Gouiri’s late second sealed it on Saturday, January 24, 2026.

Score & Status — marseille vs lens

• Status: Final

• Score: Marseille 3–1 Lens

• Venue: Orange Vélodrome, Marseille

Kickoff (Time Zones)

• USA (ET) — Sat, Jan 24, 3:05 PM

• USA (PT) — Sat, Jan 24, 12:05 PM

• Canada (Toronto) — Sat, Jan 24, 3:05 PM

• UK (London) — Sat, Jan 24, 8:05 PM

Live Timeline (Key Moments)

• 3’: GOAL Marseille 1–0 — Gouiri ghosts to the near post and tucks in after Igor Paixão’s service unsettles the back line.

• 13’: GOAL Marseille 2–0 — Nwaneri times his run between the lines and finishes coolly from Pierre-Emile Højbjerg’s feed; the Vélodrome erupts.

• 37’: Lens steady but lack incision; Marseille compress the center to deny through-balls.

• 75’: GOAL Marseille 3–0 — Gouiri again, this time meeting Timothy Weah’s delivery to put the game out of reach.

• 85’: GOAL Lens 3–1 — Rayan Fofana smashes in a consolation after sustained pressure from the visitors.

Standout Performers & Turning Points

• Amine Gouiri (Marseille): A poacher’s opener at 3’ and a composed second at 75’; constant movement across the front kept Lens off balance.

• Ethan Nwaneri (Marseille): A debut to remember — intelligent half-space runs, strong first touch, and a tidy finish for 2–0 at 13’.

• Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Marseille): Tempo controller; broke pressure, hit early diagonals, and supplied the assist on Nwaneri’s strike.

• Timothy Weah (Marseille): Wing-back thrust and a pinpoint cross for 3–0; his overlaps pinned Lens back.

• Turning point: The double punch on 3’ and 13’ forced Lens to chase and stretched their shape, opening counter lanes that Marseille exploited all night.

Lineups & Shape (confirmed)

• Marseille (3-4-2-1): GK Gerónimo Rulli; Balerdi, Aguerd, Medina; Weah, Højbjerg, Quinten Timber, Igor Paixão; Nwaneri, Hamed Traorè; Gouiri.

• Lens (3-4-2-1): GK Robin Risser; Pierre Ganiou, Malang Sarr, Matthieu Udol; Saud Abdulhamid, Adrien Thomasson, Mamadou Sangaré, Ruben Aguilar; Florian Thauvin, Wesley Saïd; Odsonne Édouard.

Match Stats (selected)

What It Means — marseille vs lens

Marseille’s victory halts Lens’ charge and tightens the title picture. The intensity of the press, the control of Højbjerg in midfield, and the directness from the wing-backs gave OM a balanced, repeatable blueprint — and marseille vs lens showcased how Gouiri’s movement can unlock compact back threes. For Lens, the late response through Fofana showed resilience, but the early concession and difficulty defending wide overloads proved costly. With the three points, Marseille stay firmly in the hunt and send a message ahead of the next round, while Lens regroup knowing a quicker start is essential when these sides meet again.