Mason Greenwood bags a hat-trick in NINE-goal Marseille masterclass as Roberto De Zerbi's side progress to Coupe de France round of 16

Marseille cruised into the next round of the Coupe de France on Sunday, dismantling amateur side Bayeux in ruthless fashion. At the heart of the destruction was Greenwood, the English forward who has rediscovered his most lethal form since moving to the south of France. He scored three times and registered an assist to ensure there was no magic of the cup for the hosts.

The victory sees De Zerbi’s side book their place in the round of 16 with ease. While the opposition offered little resistance, the Italian manager will be delighted with the application of his squad, particularly his star attacker. Greenwood has now scored seven goals in his last five appearances, taking his total for the campaign to an impressive 19 across all competitions. 

The match began with the inevitability of a training ground exercise, but it still required a spark to break the deadlock. That spark came from a connection forged in the academy of Manchester United. Angel Gomes, another former Red Devil plying his trade in France, opened the scoring in the 13th minute. The midfielder drilled a low shot past the Bayeux goalkeeper to settle any early nerves and open the floodgates for what would become a long afternoon for the Normandy side.

Just three minutes later, the lead was doubled through Hamed Traore, effectively ending the contest as a competitive spectacle before the 20-minute mark. With the hosts reeling, Greenwood took centre stage. Midway through the first half, following a blistering counter-attack that left the Bayeux defence scrambling, the Englishman collected the ball on the right flank. Cutting inside onto his favoured left foot, he fired home to make it 3-0.

Amine Gouiri added a fourth just past the half-hour mark, ensuring Marseille went into the break with the tie fully secured. The first half was a 13-minute blitz that accounted for the lowly Ligue de Football de Normandie hosts, stripping them of their dignity if not their spirit.

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The second half saw a significant moment for Greenwood’s standing within the squad. As changes were made and the game entered a procession phase, the 24-year-old was handed the captain’s armband. Leading the side for the second 45 minutes, he continued to exert his influence on proceedings, refusing to drop his intensity despite the insurmountable scoreline.

He grabbed his second goal of the game just four minutes after the restart, converting from close range to make it 5-0. Not content with just scoring, Greenwood turned provider shortly after, setting up Gouiri for his second and Marseille’s sixth. It was a complete performance from the forward, who drifted across the front line with freedom, tormenting the amateur defenders with his pace and movement.

The goals continued to flow from elsewhere, too. Former England Under-21 international CJ Egan-Riley marked the occasion with his first goal for the club, a milestone moment for the defender. Late on, ex-Premier League antagonist Neal Maupay got in on the act, finding the net to pile further misery on the exhausted hosts.

With the clock winding down and the score at 8-0, Greenwood had the final say. With practically the last kick of the game, he found space in the box once more to fire home another close-range effort, completing his hat-trick and claiming the match ball. It was a fitting end to a dominant individual showing.

Despite the ruthless nature of the 9-0 drubbing, Greenwood was respectful of the opposition in his post-match comments, acknowledging the magnitude of the occasion for Bayeux.

"It was easy for us but they came in numbers today," Greenwood said, referencing the capacity crowd that had gathered to watch their local team face European heavyweights. "It was a big day for them, a dream to play against us and we must congratulate them. It was a nice team and now we must think about what follows."

Marseille now march on to the last 16, with confidence sky-high. For De Zerbi, the challenge will be to translate this ruthlessness back into league form, but with Greenwood in this kind of touch, Les Phoceens will fear no one in the draw.