The French league match between Marseille and Rennes ended in a draw on Sunday, as the game was marred by controversy with two goals disallowed.
Marseille took the lead early in the first half when Anthony Martial scored from close range. However, the goal was later ruled out due to a handball infringement by Rennes defender Benjamin Mendy. The VAR (video assistant referee) reviewed the incident and upheld the original decision.
Rennes then equalized in the second half through a penalty kick awarded for a foul on Florian Thauvin. However, just moments after the penalty was taken, a subsequent challenge by Marseille midfielder Dimitri Payet led to another VAR review, which again confirmed the initial disallowance of the goal.
Despite the controversial decisions, both teams played well throughout the match, but were unable to find a winner. Both sides had their chances, but it was a frustrating end to a high-quality encounter.
Marseille manager Lucien Favre said after the match that he was disappointed with the result, but also acknowledged the quality of play from his team. "We created too many chances and could have won this game," he said. "But it's not over yet."
For Rennes, the draw is a disappointing outcome given their strong performances throughout the season. Manager Christophe Galtier said after the match that he was proud of his players' efforts, but admitted that they were let down by the refereeing decisions.
Overall, the match was a classic example of why football can be so unpredictable. While both teams played well and created plenty of opportunities, the officials' decisions proved to be crucial in determining the final result. It will be interesting to see how this draws influence the rest of the season and whether either side can bounce back from this setback.