AP, Marseille :
Dimitri Payet looked back to his best after setting up both goals as Marseille beat Salzburg 2-0 in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal on Thursday.
Winger Florian Thauvin headed in Payet’s curling free kick deep to the back post in the 15th minute, although video replays showed Thauvin headed the ball onto his outstretched hand before it went in.
“I did touch it with my hand, it seems,” Thauvin said on beIN Sports television. “But I’m happy we won and that we’re in a good position to qualify.”
It was Thauvin’s 22nd goal of an outstanding season which has seen him break back into the France squad ahead of the World Cup.
Payet is fighting to keep his France squad place, but another performance like this will make it hard for coach Didier Deschamps to freeze him out of Russia. He was involved in all of Marseille’s best moves at Stade Velodrome, and even chased back to harry Salzburg’s players.
But he did the most damage with his passing, expertly setting up substitute Clinton N’Jie for Marseille’s second goal in the 63rd minute.
Dimitri Payet looked back to his best after setting up both goals as Marseille beat Salzburg 2-0 in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal on Thursday.
Winger Florian Thauvin headed in Payet’s curling free kick deep to the back post in the 15th minute, although video replays showed Thauvin headed the ball onto his outstretched hand before it went in.
“I did touch it with my hand, it seems,” Thauvin said on beIN Sports television. “But I’m happy we won and that we’re in a good position to qualify.”
It was Thauvin’s 22nd goal of an outstanding season which has seen him break back into the France squad ahead of the World Cup.
Payet is fighting to keep his France squad place, but another performance like this will make it hard for coach Didier Deschamps to freeze him out of Russia. He was involved in all of Marseille’s best moves at Stade Velodrome, and even chased back to harry Salzburg’s players.
But he did the most damage with his passing, expertly setting up substitute Clinton N’Jie for Marseille’s second goal in the 63rd minute.
