Cabella scores as Nantes stun nine-man Marseille

FC Nantes opened the new year with a surprise 2-0 win over Olympique de Marseille, who had to play much of the game down to nine men after red cards for Arthur Vemeeren, and Bilal Nadir. Marseille's unbeaten home record which stretched back to last season was smashed by the Canaris, after Fabian Centonze opened the scoring and Rémy Cabella converted a late penalty on his return to Ligue 1 McDonald's after signing for the side from the North West.

The first tenminutes looked unsettle dfor Marseille, as Geronimo Rulli flapped at a Nantes corner after a Canaris player managed to flicked the ball on. The ball was then played into the back of OM's net by Egan-Riley, but after a lengthy VAR review Youssef El-Arabi was adjudged to be offside. The first half was disjointed in terms of attacking action, before Artghur Vermeeren was shown a straight red card after a late challenge whilst pressing Nantes goalkeeper. It would go from bad to worse when Nantes finally opened the scoring through Fabian Centonze, when Rulli parried Mathis Abline's strike into the path of the right back to finish into an open net (30'). OM couldn't conjure up any more clear cut chances to get back into the game, only testing Nantes keeper Anthony Lopes on one occasion during the whole of the first half.

Roberto De Zerbi looked to roll the dice again at half time, after already taking off Igor Paixao after the Brazilian lost the ball which led to Nantes' opener and to fill the gap left by Arthur Vermeeren's absence. Bilal Nadir went into midfield, whilst Michael Amir Murillo came on to replace Facundo Medina as OM moved to a more back four. But once again of their own doing, Marseille got themselves deeper into trouble when Bilal Nadir was shown a second yellow for a foul on Machado. Seconds later, Coquelin and Tabibout would be replaced for Nantes by Louis Leroux and the much-awaited return for Rémy Cabella to Ligue 1 McDonald's since re-signing for the club at the start of the winter transfer window.

Nantes claim an away win in Marseille! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/cEcru8QoA4
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) January 4, 2026

Nantes were then looking to keep the ball to try and find a second, as De Zerbi summoned the recently returned Amine Gouiri and Junior Hamad Traoré. But Nantes had a glorious chance to finish off the contest when Louis Leroux was sent through on goal but Rulli was second to his strike with a fine save on the angle. Rulli saved his blushes when he gave the ball away to Rémy Cabella, but the Frenchman's chip did not test the Argentine with his chip. Mathis Abline would drive his way into the box, and the referee judged, albeit harshly, that Benjamin Pavard made contact and would point to the spot. Rémy Cabella, on his return to a Ligue 1 side, stepped up to convert the penalty and seal an unlikely three points for the away side - and capping off a chaotic ninety minutes at the Stade Vélodrome. At the final whistle, Kantari and Nantes would wildly celebrate the first win earned by Nantes at the Vélodrome since the 2018-2019 season.

THE STAT:

After 26 minutes of play, Arthur Vermereen received the fastest red card for a Marseille player in Ligue 1 since Amine Harit's on 27 October 2024 against Paris SG (20th). OM had not received two red cards so quickly in L1 (56th) since 24 September 1993 against Metz (44th).