Saint-Etienne went into tonight's clash with Marseille looking to grab three points to put pressure on third-placed Lille, who occupy Ligue 1's final Champions League qualifying spot.
The visitors are also in contention for a European place, with a win in the fixture potentially pushing them above Etienne and back into tournament territory.
In what turned out to be a rather scrappy first half, both sides were wasteful as Kurt Zouma headed over from close range, before Andre-Pierre Gignac lashed Marseille's best effort over the bar.
The visitors took the lead in the 64th minute as Nicolas N'Koulou was left free to head home at the back post from a free kick.
It looked as though the away side would take all three points, however Etienne striker Brandao sent in a world-class header in injury time to earn the hosts a vital point.
You can find out how all of the action developed by following our minute-by-minute commentary below.
Good evening everyone and welcome to our live coverage as Saint-Etienne take on Marseille in Ligue 1. Tonight's clash could be pivotal in deciding who grabs the final Champions League qualifying spot this season. Fourth-placed Etienne will be looking for three points to put them within touching distance of Lille who sit in third. However, Marseille know that a win tonight will send them above Etienne and back into the race for European qualification.
Home side Etienne come into the fixture on the back of a tame 0-0 draw against Toulouse in their last Ligue 1 game, however they have also beaten Lille and Valenciennes in recent weeks.
Marseille won their last league fixture having beaten Bastia 3-0 at home, though they also drew to Toulouse and were beaten by Monaco a few weeks ago.
Etienne defender Loic Perrin has challenged his side to give all they can to gain Champions League qualifcation. Here's what he had to say during the week:
"We're fourth, three points off third, we have to be ambitious and aim high. It's a great challenge and everyone dreams about the Champions League music."
Now for some team news ahead of tonight's game at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard...
Saint-Etienne: Ruffier; Tremoulinsa, Zouma, Perrin, Sall, Clement, Cohade, Lemoine, Tabanou, Brandao, Hamouma
Marseille: Mandanda; N'Koulou, Mendes, Morel, Diawara, Djadjedje, Payet, Romao, Valbuena, Gignac, Ayew
Saint-Etienne substitutes: Moulin, Pogba, Brison, Corgnet, Gradel, Mollo, Erding
Marseille substitutes: Samba, Mendy, Cheyrou, Lemina, Thauvin, Tuiloma, Imbula
Attacking sides for both teams tonight, then. Marseille have put their faith in Andre Ayew and Andre-Pierre Gignac to lead their attacking line tonight, while Etienne feature a fluid 4-5-1 formation with Brandao up top.
Marseille will want to be careful when Etienne have possession and their creative midfielders break from the centre of the pitch. The hosts have included Romain Hamouma, Fabien Lemoine and Franck Tabanou amongst their enterprising midfield setup.
History suggests that Marseille have just about come up trumps when the sides have met in the past. Tonight's visitors beat Etienne 2-1 when the sides met in September of last year, though Etienne rose victorious with a 2-0 win in March 2013. The sides' head-to-head stats show Marseille as winning two of their five games against Etienne, having also lost one and drawn two.
I fancy Etienne to get all three points tonight. They'll be spurred by their poor draw against Toulouse, while also knowing that three points will put them within touching distance of a Champions League spot. They also have an abundance of creative talent in midfield, which could play a pivotal role in unlocking the Marseille defence.
Here we go... The players make their way out onto the pitch as we await the start of the first half.
Interesting stat here: despite their recent triumphs against Etienne, Marseille haven't won at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard for all of five years.
The away side will be getting us underway, with Marseille kicking from left to right at the start of the first half...
The ground is awash with green, with the Etienne crowd making this a rather intense affair already.
Rather scrappy first few minutes this evening. Marseille are looking to push forward at every chance, though Etienne have been equal to the task when the final ball is delivered.
Marseille have a huge task on their hands in this fixture; Etienne haven't conceded a goal at home in seven hours of football.
The visitors are looking to knock the ball around in the opening stages as Djadjedje, Payet and Romao prod the ball around in the centre of the park.
Zouma is looking to make an early impact as he crunches into Ayew with a hefty challenge on the half-way line.
Etienne get their first chance of the game as Tabanou lashes a ball into the box, Marseille fail to clear it but Cohade can't make the most of the scramble and the ball is cleared for a corner.
CLOSE! Marseille concede a cheap corner, which is only partially cleared to Brandao, but the striker fails to make contact on the volley and sends a shinned effort straight into the defender.
CLOSE! Wow. Possibly miss of the season? Zouma heads over the bar from only a few yards out with the goal gaping, having jumped perfectly to meet a headed delivery from Cohade.
YELLOW CARD! Souleymane Diawara is booked for a lunge on Cohade as he tries to break from midfield.
Marseille look a little shaken now as Etienne look to pile on the pressure. Etienne are almost in again as Hamouma fires in a cross, which just about evades Brandao.
Nkloulou pulls off a great challenge to deny Hamouma who thinks he's in behind the defence having latched onto a through ball from midfield. The defender times an inch-perfect slide tackle to send the ball out for a throw.
Penalty? Hamouma darts across his defender to retireve the ball on the line, with Nkloulou perhaps giving the Etienne man a slight nudge in the back, sending the midfielder tumbling to the deck with his arms aloft.
Marseille need to get a grip on things this evening, they could find themselves a goal down if they don't look at shutting the Etienne midfielders down with a little more haste.
Zouma is a little bit luck as he gives the ball away in midfield, with Payet knocking a ball out wide to Gignac on the counter, however the forward is tackled having brought the ball down out of the air.
Ayew gives the ball away for Marseille this time, leaving Lemoine to pick his spot from distance, but the experienced midfielder sees his effort fly over the crossbar. Mandanda shakes his head and looks away in disgust...
Great play from Valbuena who feeds a lovely ball into the path of Gignac behind the Etienne defence, however Ruffier rushes off his line to intercept the pass at the final moment.
Another penalty, perhaps... Tabanou brings the ball down out of the air with a lovely touch, as he looks to flick the touch-down over Diawara, who looks guilty of raising his arm to the ball... Etienne edging ever closer here.
CLOSE! Gignac should score, really... Morel delivers a world-class ball into the box, with the Marseille striker peeling away from his markers in the box before lashing wildly over the crossbar with a fierce volley. Great play from the full-back Morel.
Marseille are starting to grow into the game a little more now, with their midfielders looking to retain possession in the middle of the park.
I'm not too sure that the pitch is helping proceedings this evening. The turf looks a little bobbly and could be held accountable for a few breakdowns in play.
Etienne have weathered a minor Marseille storm after that effort from Gignac. Tabanou does well to hold up possession just outside of the box, though his through ball is cleared away for a corner.
Gignac is charging around like a bull in a china shop up front. He looks to get onto a ball from Ayew, before lashing out aggressively into a 50-50 ball. Luckily, the striker makes contact with leather and hits his delivery straight into his opponent. That could have been dangerous...
Djadjedje finds himself in a good position on the right flank, he throws a few step-overs before walloping a hideous cross over to the other side of the pitch. It goes out for a throw... What a waste.
CLOSE! Payet lets fly from range, with his shot flying into the path of an oncoming defender. The deflection breaks over the other defenders' heads, where Gignac is lurking. However, the striker can only flick the ball into the arms of Ruffier who accepts with a welcome smile.
Etienne have a good chance to stretch Marseille in the last minute of half time, but Brandao takes too long on the ball and he's dealt with by Mendes who comes across to make the tackle.
HALF TIME: SAINT-ETIENNE 0-0 MARSEILLE
So the referee calls a halt to an entertaining first half. Not much to go by in the way of chances, but it's been a feisty affair thus far.
The pitch hasn't helped too much to be honest. It's looking rather bobbly. Though both sides have had at least one decent chance each. Etienne should have scored when Zouma headed over from just a few yards out in the early stages, while Gignac had a great chance to convert from Morel's fantastic cross.
No wonder nobody has scored here in seven hours! I'm not quite sure whether that's testament to Christophe Galtier and his men's defensive qualities, or the lack of quality put into maintaining the turf at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
Marseille definitely grew in confidence as the half progressed. They'll be happy they didn't concede during that shaky period early on. Gignac is looking lively up front and he could be the one to turn things in the visitors' favour in the second half.
The players are now back out on the pitch. Etienne will get us back underway this evening. It's been very tight thus far. Will the second half open up a little more?
Here we go, the second half begins...
Things begin steadily with both teams shifting it across the middle of the pitch when they gain possession.
Sall does well to retain possession at the back having ridden two challenges from Gignac. He feeds it long to Lemoine, who then finds Brandao. The striker's flick-on eventually ends up at the feet of Tabanou, who can't sort out his in time and the chance passes.
YELLOW CARD! Lucas Mendas gets a yellow card for a poor challenge on Hamouma, with the midfielder looking to make his way towards the box.
The resulting delivery almost falls to the head of Tabanou, put Marseille get across to make the clearance.
Etienne are now moving closer to going eight and a half hours without conceding a goal at home.
Marseille are now looking to build some possession inside the hosts' half, but Valbuena tries a lofted ball a little too early and Etienne clear their lines.
Some good defending from Zouma now, who is playing as a fill-in right-back tonight, as the on-loan Chelsea man gets across to deny Morel the space to send in a cross.
CLOSE! Lemoine tries another one from distance and this is definitely the closest of them all, as the ball dips and whistles just over Mandanda's crossbar. The midfielder only has one goal this season, you'd be surprised...
GOAL! GOAL! SAINT-ETIENNE 0-1 MARSEILLE (Nicolas N'Koulou)
Well, Etienne now give up their impressive defensive record. They concede a needless free kick 35 yards out from goal, which is whipped into the box, with Nicolas N'Koulou gambling at the back post where's he's left unmarked to prod the ball past Ruffier.
The hosts have it all to do now, they're going to have to step things up a little if they are to stand a chance of even salvaging a draw. They haven't really offered anything going forward in the second period.
The visitors are now looking the more accomplished team. They've got the important goal they came for and are now shifting the ball across the park with a hint of swagger despite conditions.
Etienne are looking shellshocked following the goal.. they won't be used to this at home. They are, however, looking to compose themselves when they do regain possession.
And as I say that Zouma finds some space on the right, but instead of looking to beat the defender and send in a cross, he lashes a woeful shot across the face of goal, which ends up going out for a throw.
Marseille appear quite happy to sit back and wait for Etienne to make mistakes. They'll want to be careful not to invite too much pressure, though.
Marseille break through Thauvin, who only has Gignac up ahead of him. He decides to go it alone with a fierce shot from distance, which flies wide of goal. Gignac looks furious, however.
CLOSE! Yet another penalty shout! Etienne whip in a free kick, which beats everyone apart from Sall who thinks he's about to prod the ball home. However, N'Koulou is on hand to apply some pressure and force the defender to slip at the vital moment. Gosh, if that's not a penalty, what is? N'Koulou is lucky to still be on the pitch.
SAVE! The visitors find themselves on the break after the appeal, with Gignac bustling his way through on goal. He beats everyone, apart from Ruffier who pulls off a good save to keep Etienne in with a shout. Great stop from the keeper!
Marseille are defending well now, Etienne are loading the box with men and cross, but nothing seems to give.
CLOSE! Erding does well to get down the flank and cross for Brandao at the back stick, he heads down for an incoming player, but is ruled to be offside.
Etienne are doing everything they can to try and force open a chance, Tremoulinas has a go from distance, before the ball is turned in on goal, with Mandanda doing well to come off his line and claim the cross.
GOAL! SAINT-ETIENNE 1-1 MARSEILLE (Brandao)
So for some unbeknown reason, Marseille decide to leave one of the best headers of the ball free in the box to head home. The striker jumps above everyone else to flick his effort down to Mandanda's bottom right, the keeper gets a hand to it, but it hits the post and settles in the net.
FULL TIME: SAINT-ETIENNE 1-1 MARSEILLE
What a finish! Some real questions to be asked of the Marseille defending in the final moments there. However, that shouldn't take anything away from Brandao, who leapt brilliantly to earn his side a point.
That goal could prove vital for Etienne as they go in search of a Champions League spot. They've pulled a point back on Lille, who still sit four points clear in third position.
Written by
Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
