Nantes thrash Marseille 3-0 to secure first home win over rivals since 2018

Key facts

• Nantes beat Marseille 3-0 at La Beaujoire-Louis-Fonteneau on 2 May 2026.
• Attendance was 28,308.
• Ignatius Ganago, Rémy Cabella, and Matthis Abline scored for Nantes.
• Nantes’ first home win over Marseille since December 2018.
• Marseille have now failed to win in five of their last six Ligue 1 matches.
• Nantes moved to within two points of the relegation play-off place.
• Matthis Abline was named Man of the Match.

Dominant first half yields no goals

Nantes produced their best performance under Vahid Halilhodzic, thrashing Marseille 3-0 to secure their first home win over the visitors since December 2018. The victory came in front of a subdued crowd at La Beaujoire-Louis-Fonteneau, where the away section was empty and parts of the home support staged a silent protest during the opening half-hour. Nantes dominated the first half, with Colombian full-back Deiver Machado proving particularly dangerous down the left flank. However, Machado was forced off injured before the half-hour mark, and it was not until the 33rd minute that either side registered a shot on target. Rémy Cabella tested Marseille goalkeeper Jeffrey de Lange after being fed by Matthis Abline, but de Lange was equal to the effort. Moments later, de Lange made a fine save to deny Mohamed Kaba, keeping the score goalless at the break.

Eight-minute blitz seals the match

Given that Nantes had scored a league-low 10 second-half goals all season, their chances of converting first-half dominance into a lead appeared slim. Yet they rattled in three goals in the space of eight minutes shortly before the hour mark to comprehensively seal just their third home league victory of the campaign. The barrage began when Ignatius Ganago swept home from Abline’s cutback. Abline then turned provider, picking out Cabella, who scored against his former club for the second time this season. Still shell-shocked, Marseille conceded a third when Abline produced a moment of outstanding quality, cutting in from the right, dribbling between Facundo Medina and Leandro Balerdi, and rifling home his sixth Ligue 1 goal of the season.

Marseille’s injury woes and muted response

Marseille’s response was muted. They suffered a further blow when midfielder Hamed Traoré was forced off injured, replaced by Ugo El Kadmiri. The visitors managed only a few half-chances, with a corner late in the game easily dealt with by Nantes goalkeeper Patrik Carlgren. The defeat leaves Marseille vulnerable to being replaced in the top six by Monaco later in the weekend, and their chances of securing a top-four finish and Champions League football appear highly unlikely after a fifth failure to win in their last six league outings.

Nantes climb towards safety

For Nantes, the victory moves them to within two points of the relegation play-off place, providing a significant boost in their fight to avoid the drop. It was the first win of Halilhodzic’s second spell in charge, and the team’s first head-to-head double over Marseille since the 2018/19 season. The result also marked Nantes’ first home win over Marseille since December 2018, ending a long drought in this fixture.

What comes next for both sides

Nantes will look to build on this performance as they continue their battle against relegation, with every point crucial in the remaining fixtures. Marseille, meanwhile, face an uphill task to salvage their season. With the top four slipping out of reach, they must regroup quickly to avoid a complete collapse. The international break may offer a chance to reset, but the pressure on manager and players will only intensify.

The bottom line

• Nantes’ 3-0 win over Marseille was their first home victory in this fixture since December 2018.
• Three goals in eight second-half minutes turned the match, with Abline scoring one and assisting two.
• Marseille have now won only one of their last six Ligue 1 matches, jeopardizing their top-four ambitions.
• Nantes moved within two points of the relegation play-off place, boosting their survival hopes.
• The match was played in a subdued atmosphere due to an empty away section and a silent protest by home fans.