Marseille made a strong start to the French League playoff finals with a 14–12 away victory over Pays d’Aix in the opening match of the best-of-three series. The reigning champions now return home with two chances to retain their title. The second match is scheduled for May 24 in Marseille. If Pays d’Aix levels the series, a decisive third game will be played the following day, also in Marseille.
Pays d’Aix started well in front of their home crowd in Aix-en-Provence, opening up an early 2–0 and then 3–1 lead. However, Marseille quickly responded. The visitors netted four goals in the final three minutes of the first quarter to take a 5–3 lead. From that point on, Marseille never trailed again, though Pays d’Aix continued to challenge throughout.
The hosts closed the gap to a single goal multiple times in the second quarter (4–5, 5–6, 6–7), but Marseille’s experience kept them ahead. A key goal from Matteo Velotto closed out the half with Marseille leading 8–6. Early in the third period, Ugo Crousillat and Michaël Bodegas capitalised on extra-player situations to stretch the lead to 10–6.
Marseille looked in control when Crousillat made it 12–8 in the 21st minute. But Pays d’Aix responded with determination, scoring three unanswered goals, including a man-up strike by Beteille in the 26th minute to bring the score to 12–11. Alexandre Marion-Vernoux restored Marseille’s two-goal lead, only for Montes Gomez to score again for the hosts with just over three minutes to play.
In the end, it was Serbian veteran Andrija Prlainovic who delivered the decisive blow. His quick response in the following possession secured the 14–12 win and gave Marseille a 1–0 lead in the series.
French League Playoffs 2025 – Final (Best of Three)
Match 1
Pays d’Aix 12–14 Marseille
(3–5, 3–3, 3–4, 3–2)
Scorers – Pays d’Aix: Bachelier 3, Watanabe 3, Beteille 2, Khasz 2, Gomez 2
Marseille: Prlainovic 3, Bouet 3, Angyal 2, Crousillat 2, Marion-Vernoux 2, Bodegas 1, Velotto 1
Third-Place Playoff – Match 1
Montpellier 10–14 Strasbourg
(1–3, 1–3, 3–2, 5–6)
Strasbourg established early dominance in the bronze-medal series and will look to wrap it up in the second match next week.
Looking Ahead
- Final – Game 2: Marseille vs Pays d’Aix – May 24, 2025
- If needed – Game 3: Marseille vs Pays d’Aix – May 25, 2025
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