With no European football this season, all Marseille have to focus on is the league and getting back into the continental stage. They made the perfect start to doing so inside three minutes when Amine Harit freed new recruit Mason Greenwood down the right and the former Manchester United man drove towards goal and nestled an effort into the far corner.
As far as season-opening games go, this one had it all early on, with the hosts soon afforded the chance to hit back instantly when Ludovic Ajorque was felled in the area. Unfortunately for Brest, Romain Del Castillo’s effort was rebuffed by Geronimo Rulli.
That miss looked even more costly midway through the first half when Marseille doubled their advantage. Harit was against the creator when his deft flick fell favourably for Luis Henrique and the Brazilian made no mistake from 10 yards, stroking home his first goal since March. It was always likely to be a long shot for Brest to overturn a two-goal deficit, but three was near impossible. That was their task after half an hour though, when Greenwood showed Del Castillo how it’s done from 12 yards, firing into the left corner and leaving the Brest custodian with no chance.
All hope seemed to be lost for Brest at that point, but when some neat attacking work was finished off from distance by Mahdi Camara just before the break, they were granted an unlikely lifeline. However, those renewed hopes were soon extinguished within minutes of the restart, when Henrique got in on the act for the second time in the afternoon.
A miscued clearance from Greenwood’s cross fell favourably to the Brazilian who made no mistake in doubling his tally from inside the area.
That visibly knocked the wind out of Brest’s sails and they hit the self-destruct button yet again shortly after when Jordan Amavi tripped Greenwood in the area.
Despite Marseille having two players on hat-tricks, Elye Wahi assumed responsibility from the spot. De Zerbi’s side seemed to heed Brest’s plea for mercy at that point, and with the points assured, they took their foot off the gas a little. While Le Phoceens will savour this result – which likely puts them top of Ligue 1 going into next week – it was yet more misery for Brest, whose winless home league run now stands at a dismal four matches.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Mason Greenwood (Marseille)
