Wahi scores late equaliser for Nice to deal blow to Marseille's hopes of top-four finish

[p]After celebrating their progression to the Coupe de France final, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nice/YagoQJpq/"]Nice[/a] had to quickly turn their focus back to the serious business of a Ligue 1 survival fight.[/p][p]Given their lowly position, it was unsurprising to see [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/claude-maurice-alexis/UTdKF398/"]Claude Puel[/a]’s charges adopt a defensive approach, and their European-chasing hosts threatened inside the opening five minutes when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vermeeren-arthur/tzhSwObR/"]Arthur Vermeeren[/a]’s far-post header forced [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diouf-yehvann/xCg7OFVE/"]Yehvann Diouf[/a] to palm the ball away from danger.[/p][p]The Nice shot-stopper was required again as the game approached the 30th-minute mark, reacting smartly to deny [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/balerdi-leonardo/OYrb8EBS/"]Leonardo Balerdi[/a] a headed goal on his 150th Ligue 1 appearance. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/marseille/SblU3Hee/"]Marseille[/a] continued to apply the pressure in the immediate exchanges after the interval, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aubameyang-pierre-emerick/Wl4EyKZk/"]Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang[/a] headed wide from a gilt-edged opportunity, just moments before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nnadi-tochukwu/CGRkJ7rQ/"]Tochukwu Nnadi[/a] was denied by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/juma-bah-abdulay/ChoMhLBQ/"]Juma Bah[/a]’s desperate last-ditch block.[/p][p]As Marseille continued to push forward, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wahi-sepe-elye/8jdHWf50/"]Wahi[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cho-mohamed-ali/xOd4FVMQ/"]Mohamed-Ali Cho[/a] reminded the hosts of the visitors’ own threat, forcing the alert [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rulli-geronimo/rcbM0Dd8/"]Geronimo Rulli[/a] into two strong stops in quick succession.[/p][p][b]With frustration building around the Stade Velodrome, there was a collective sigh of relief when the hosts finally broke the deadlock through an unlikely source, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hojbjerg-pierre-emile/ITwS8wMo/"]Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg[/a]; the Denmark international produced a diving header to divert the ball beyond Diouf from Nnadi’s dangerous cross. [/b][/p][embed guid="1ee7f939-4405-4af1-9b3d-ed5c926ffdef" url="https://x.com/Ligue1_ENG/status/2048495885890318468" social-type="twitter" /][p]Hojbjerg’s first league goal since November persuaded Puel to turn to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/boudache-kail/phOFiSep/"]Kail Boudache[/a], who, within moments of his arrival, fluffed his lines as he headed wide of an unguarded net after Rulli carelessly lost possession. [/p][p][b]Fortunately for Boudache, Les Aiglons were presented with another chance to level when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mmadi-tadjidine/SM43N5nS/"]Tadjidine Mmadi[/a] trod on former Marseille man [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/clauss-jonathan/Ag37eHIn/"]Jonathan Clauss[/a], allowing Wahi to showcase his confidence from the penalty spot, with his perfect Panenka snatching a draw that moves his side five points clear of danger.[/b][/p][embed guid="a41f7f7f-cf4c-432a-8404-269114498ba9" url="https://x.com/Ligue1_ENG/status/2048501506479980679" social-type="twitter" /][p]As for Habib Beye’s side, they are now four points adrift of the top four and face an uphill battle to secure UEFA Champions League qualification. [/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wahi-sepe-elye/8jdHWf50/"]Elye Wahi[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nice/YagoQJpq/"]Nice[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/marseille-SblU3Hee/nice-YagoQJpq/?mid=dUb1gXFi"]Catch up on all the match stats here.[/a][/b][/p]