Garcia's error costs Leverkusen as Gouiri gifts Olympique Marseille victory

Bayer Leverkusen's flawless start to their Europa League campaign came unstuck after a 1-0 defeat to Olympique Marseille tonight. In a game that truly failed to ever ignite, Amine Gouiri's 77th-minute strike sealed victory for the club from the south coast of France. 

In what proceeded to be a rather tame opening half, Marseille were first to show signs of life. Amine Gouiri slipped the ball through Jarell Quansah's legs, but failed to get the better of Mark Flekken. Otherwise, chances were limited for both sides who failed to land punches. 

Leverkusen found trouble in the final third, looking incapable of getting into threatening positions. The Rhinelanders required all of 28 minutes before Patrik Schick set up Quansah. However, the centre-half could only muster up a defender's finish which cleared the crossbar. 

Ibrahim Maza soon found room for a central shot that failed to trouble Jeffrey de Lange. Had it gone in, the offside flag was already raised against Schick. The hosts were denied by the width of the bar before the break as Miguel Gutierrez's hit took a nasty deflection.

The second-half took on a similar life to the first until Igor Paixão and Gouiri unfurled shots that kept Flekken on his toes. Leverkusen's dominance prior to the interval appeared to have been relinquished as Jeoffrey Kondogbia was inches away from breaking the deadlock.

A goal eventually arrived, falling the way of the Ligue 1 side with 13 minutes remaining. Aleix Garcia will wince watching it back, letting the ball get away from him. Gouiri proceeded to race free and cut in before bending a left-footed shot beyond Flekken's despairing fingertips. 

Leverkusen's sense of urgency ramped up as Edmond Tapsoba misfired from a corner. De Lange flapped at it, but made amends at the death by holding onto Schick's stoppage time header. A result which sealed a precious first victory in Marseille's Europa League odyssey.