VAR paves way for Marseille's 4-0 victory in season opener
PARIS (AP) — Marseille crushed Toulouse 4-0 on Friday as the French league season opened with a video assistant refereeing (VAR) decision leading to the first goal.
Attacking midfielder Dimitri Payet scored in each half, with his penalty on the stroke of halftime awarded after a video review. Striker Valere Germain added a third goal, while winger Florian Thauvin struck two minutes into injury time.
Alerted by VAR officials that defender Kelvin Amian had blocked a cross with his hand, Ruddy Buquet checked the images. Having initially signaled a corner, the referee changed his mind and pointed to the spot.
Payet, who missed France's World Cup title victory last month after being injured in the Europa League final, sent goalkeeper Baptiste Reynet the wrong way.
He netted again in the 62nd minute with a neat volley after Reynet had blocked Bouna Sarr's angled shot.
"The ball came to me quickly, I just tried to guide it in," Payet told Canal Plus television. "The end of last season was quite hard for me ... so I just want to enjoy myself and start the season well."
Payet completely controlled the game and sent Germain clean through with a defense-splitting pass in the 75th minute but Reynet saved well.
Payet got an ovation from the Stade Velodrome crowd when he was replaced by Thauvin — a member of France's World Cup squad — in the 82nd minute.
Germain then expertly controlled midfielder Morgan Sanson's pass and curled the ball past Reynet in the 89th minute before Thauvin skillfully flicked the ball up with his heel and slotted in from close range to complete the rout.
Marseille finished fourth last season and missed out on a Champions League playoff spot by one point.
