Marseille went into tonight's fixture looking to close the gap on fourth-placed Saint-Etienne to just two points, while Toulouse sought to pick up three points that would help cement themselves as a safe mid-table bet going into the second half of the season.
Marseille dominated the opening exchanges, however Toulouse pressed with intensity and were unlucky to concede as Dimitri Payet gave Marseille the lead early on.
The hosts' advantage didn't last for long, though, as poor defending allowed Wassim Ben Yedder to head home from a corner and level the scores.
Andre-Pierre Gignac produced a brilliant piece of supportive play to create a chance for Mathieu Valbuena to tuck home, leaving the scores at 2-1 going into half time.
Toulouse came out strongest in the second half and grabbed the equaliser their play deserved when Serge Aurier made the most of some poor goalkeeping to earn his side a point.
You can find out how the night's action developed by reading our minute-by-minute updates below.
Good evening everyone and welcome to tonight's coverage as Marseille take on Toulouse in Ligue 1. Jose Anigo's side will be looking to help start a revival, with Marseille having lost four of their last five fixtures. They do, however, still only remain five points off a European qualification spot with a game in hand tonight. Three points for the hosts would move them within two of fourth-placed Saint-Etienne.
It's a slightly different story for Toulouse who are based a little lower down in the league. Results have been kind to them this weekend, though, meaning that three points would send the visitors into 11th place in Ligue 1.
Toulouse will be hurting from their exit from the Coupe de France last week, where they were sent tumbling out of the competition by amateur side Moulins, who recorded a shock 2-1 home win against the Ligue 1 side.
Now for some team news ahead of tonight's clash...
Marseille starting XI: Mandanda; Nkoulou, Mendes, Fanni, Lemina, Thauvin, Payet, Romao, Mendy, Valbuena, Gignac
Toulouse starting XI: Boucher; Sylla, Zebina, Aurier, Yago, Akpa-Akpro, Didot, Trejo, Aguilar, Braithwaite, Ben Yedder
Strong starting XIs from both sides, then. Marseille have opted for a fluid 4-5-1 formation, with Andre-Pierre Gignac serving as a lone striker. He will be supported by the attacking threats of Alaixys Romao, Benjamin Mendy and Mathieu Valbuena.
The visitors have decided to go with a less conventional 3-5-2, which will see Wissam Ben Yedder and Martin Braithwaite in attack for Toulouse.
Having seen tonight's lineups, I think it's going to be hard to look beyond the hosts. Their frontline is full of creativity and guile, which will benefit from the bags of pace provided from the flanks. They might be going through a sticky patch at the moment, but with a team like that a response is surely going to come sooner rather than later...
History indicates that Marseille are slight favourites tonight. They've won four of their last five encounters with Toulouse since 2012, with the visitors only being able to steal a point from a 1-1 draw when the sides met in September last year.
Toulouse are the team in better form of late though, with the visitors sitting two places above Marseille in the current Ligue 1 form table.
Marseille haven't been too sound defensively either, having conceded 24 goals this campaign. However, they've been saved by the 31 goals they've netted so far this season.
Fantastic scenes at the Stade Velodrome as the players make their way out onto the pitch, it's a full house tonight.
Here we go then... Marseille get us underway in their white home strip, kicking from right to left. I've got a feeling Thauvin could be influential for the hosts tonight. Boucher might have his work cut out in the Toulouse goal. The pitch doesn't look to great, however.
Great start for the visitors as the ball is threaded out wide to Braithwaite following some neat work in the middle. However, the striker's ball into the box is wasted as nobody chooses to gamble on the delivery.
Marseille get their foot on the ball for the first time as they work it across the pitch tidily. Not the best night for passing given the state of the pitch, though.
No chances thus far, both teams still looking to find their feet in this fixture. Toulouse try to work the ball down the left with a few short passes, though the ball bobbles up and allows time for Nkoulou to nip in and steal possession.
GOAL! Marseille 1-0 Toulouse (Dimitri Payet)
There we have it, tonight's first goal and it goes to Marseille. A great piece of counter-attacking football sees Thauvin break away from the centre of the pitch. He keeps running towards the defenders who continue to back off, leaving Dimitri Payet to pull a little wider before receiving the ball in the box. The midfielder does brilliantly with his first-touch to set himself for the finish, which he fires across the keeper and into the bottom corner.
GOAL! Marseille 1-1 Toulouse (Wassim Ben Yedder)
Wow, a horrible piece of defending from a corner sees Toulouse pull things level. A simple delivery is turned into the box, where Wassim Ben Yedder is left totally unmarked at the back-post to head home with ease. The defence were all asleep.
Marseille look a little shaken at the minute with the visitors hounding the hosts for possession of the ball.
End to end stuff here as Thauvin heads over the crossbar having been picked out by Payet with a dinked cross into the box. That was a little too easy for the hosts.
Payet looks dangerous tonight. He picks up the ball just outside of the box before feeding a lovely through ball in behind the defence, however Thauvin is muscled out of the way as he tries to get onto the end of the ball.
This game is remarkably open. Holes are opening up all over the pitch as the ball zips from one end to another.
Thauvin tries something a little too deft as he picks the ball up in front of goal. The midfielder spots the run of Gignac in behind the defence, but his ball is cut out by the first defender.
The visitors are working incredibly hard to close down Marseille. The hosts are trying their best to make use of their wide men, however Toulouse are onto them as soon as they receive the ball.
CHANCE! Payet whips in a dangerous free kick towards the near-post, which is just about cleared away by the Toulouse defence. He'll say it was a cross, but it looked more like a deliberate shot to me.
Toulouse's young goalkeeper Boucher has been impressive thus far. The keeper seems quick to react to everything chucked into the box. As soon as he collects he looks to get Braithwaite on the move with a fast release.
Not much work for Mandanda at the other end tonight. Toulouse have had one main effort on goal, which flew into the back of the net.
Lots of neat movement from both sides now, though the final ball appears to be a little wayward at each end.
Gignac is working hard up front on his own for Marseille, dropping into space when needed and also looking to make runs in behind. Not much to write home about at the minute, though, as every move is breaking down at the vital moment
Speak of the devil, Gignac drops deep to feed the ball to Payet. The striker then peels off his marker to collect the return ball, which he crashes straight into the arms of the Toulouse keeper. Great play from the frontman.
Marseille are frustrated again as Mendy breaks down the left where he is crowded out by no less than three Toulouse defenders. The visitors will be mighty pleased with their defensive efforts in this half.
GOAL! Marseille 2-1 Toulouse (Mathieu Valbuena)
Fantastic play from Gignac to help Marseille regain the lead. It comes from nothing really as the ball is threaded out to the frontman on the right flank. He produces some fine skill to beat the full-back before squaring for the incoming Mathieu Valbuena who gets across his marker to fire home with his right.
SHOT! Marseille go looking for their third of the night as Gignac is fed the ball on the left. He cuts inside onto his right before popping off a shot which veers wide of the keeper's right post. He looks at the pitch in disgust.
HALF TIME: Marseille 2-1 Toulouse
So Marseille go into the break with the lead. Not sure it's what they totally deserve, though. Toulouse had done brilliantly to limit them to just a few chances. Unfortunately for them, Marseille have been clinical when required.
Gignac has been particularly impressive this evening. His work-rate has been outstanding and the big frontman played a pivotal role in that second goal.
Braithwaite has also been threatening for Toulouse, he's provided his side with welcome respite by looking to stretch the Marseille back-four when the visitors gain possession of the ball.
Toulouse still have a chance of getting something from this, though they need to be careful to not leave themselves too open at the back when going in search of an equaliser.
If Gignac keeps up his work, Thauvin and Payet will become even more dominant in this fixture as they look to feed off the frontman's linking play.
The players have now arrived back on the pitch as we wait for the second half to get underway.
Toulouse kick off proceedings and almost find themselves back on level terms. The ball is played simply into the feet of Braithwaite who somehow finds himself in acres of space. However his shot is saved by Mandanda in the centre of goal.
Romao wins the ball outside of the box and he looks for the run of Gignac who cuts across the defence. The midfielder plays the pass but it's intercepted before reaching the Marseille forward.
Both teams are now looking to settle down after that intriguing opening five minutes. Toulouse should be back on level terms, really... could Braithwaite come to rue that missed chance?
CHANCE! For some strange reason Aurier finds himself way up the pitch as he picks out Braithwaite with a lovely ball to the back-post. The striker brings the ball down on his chest, but is smothered by the Marseille defence before being able to get his shot away. That's two great chances spurned now for the frontman in this half.
Marseille haven't done much so far, they appear to be sitting a little deeper at the start of the second half. They might be thinking of inviting some pressure before springing the counter, though that could prove costly if Braithwaite can find his shooting boots at some point.
GOAL! Marseille 2-2 Toulouse (Serge Aurier)
Well, you can't say it wasn't coming... Though this time it has nothing to do with Toulouse's craft as Mandanda makes a howler from a corner kick. The ball is delivered into the box where the keeper comes to claim without full conviction, allowing Serge Aurier to power in and crash the ball home with his head.
CHANCE! It really should be 3-2 to the visitors, Marseille fall asleep as Toulouse press forward with the ball, which finally ends up at the feet of Braithwaite who finds himself behind the defence. However, Mendes does brilliantly to get back and make the tackle before the striker can get his shot off on goal.
The hosts are looking lethargic here. Very odd considering the opportunity that has presented itself to close the gap on both Etienne and Lille with three points tonight. Toulouse are looking a lot more energetic, both with their defensive pressing and forward play.
Toulouse work the ball down the right with an exchange of short passes which makes Marseille look a little pedestrian, though the move comes to nothing when Mendy gets his foot in to win the ball.
Boucher produces some goalkeeping to belie his youthful experience as he rushes out to intercept a pass that looks on its way to make it through to Payet on the left.
SUBSTITUTION: Payet is replaced by Khalifa, who will be looking to exploit the full-backs in the latter stages of this game.
YELLOW CARD! Akpa Akpro is booked for a horrible lung on the newly-introduced Khalifa.
CLOSE! Romao latches onto a loose ball just outside of the area to bend a smart shot towards goal, however the ball curls just wide of Boucher's right post.
YELLOW CARD! Fanni picks up a yellow for a late tackle on Yago as the Toulouse defender attempts to clear the ball.
Both sides look like they could win this. Toulouse appear the more likely, with the visitors looking to create more chances. This time Didot is found inside the box and faces Mandanda one-on-one where he decides to chip the ball instead of powering an effort at goal. Safe to say, his effort is nowhere near fooling the keeper as it balloons high and wide. Wasteful...
Marseille still have plenty of quality on the pitch as we head into the final 10 minutes at the Stade Velodrome. They've been completely off the boil in this second half and will be thankful if they make it out with a draw.
The hosts have a great chance to equalise with a free-kick on the edge of the box. Valbuena steps up to deliver what is probably one of the poorest attempts of his career. His effort sails high and wide without even testing the goalkeeper.
Marseille appear to have lifted their game a little in the final minutes. They work the ball neatly across the box before Khalifa lashes the ball against a defender to earn his side a corner.
SUBSTITUTION: Valbuena is replaced by Imbula, much to the annoyance of the home fans.
Gignac shows some fight in the last two minutes as he leaps to win a header, which releases Thauvin in behind the defence, though the midfielder is caught by the Toulouse defence and the chance passes.
CHANCE!Marseille should win it here. Thauvin looks dismayed as he is found at the back-post with a cross that he fires straight over the crossbar, despite being marked and in acres of space. The midfielder really should have scored there.
STOPPAGE TIME: 3 MINS
Is there to be one more chance for somebody to grab a winner here? Thauvin will be kicking himself for that miss... Marseille should be walking away with all three points.
FULL TIME: Marseille 2-2 Toulouse
That was a rather disappointing end to a wholly enjoyable game. Toulouse might think they deserved to win that following a superb 20 minutes in the second half. Meanwhile, Marseille went missing in the second period, but should have won the game with that Thauvin miss late on. Maybe a draw was a fair result after all?
Written by
Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
