FOOTBALL NEWS - Greece striker Kostas Mitroglou netted a late equaliser on his first Marseille start to salvage a point in Sunday's 3-3 draw at Strasbourg as Steve Mandanda made a club record 453rd appearance.
Dimitri Payet gave Marseille the lead on five minutes, but Jean Eudes Aholou's deflected shot pulled Strasbourg level before Morgan Sanson's cross made it 2-1 to the visitors just after the break.
Bakary Kone powered in a corner as Strasbourg hit back and the hosts looked on course for just a second win on their return to the top flight when Dimitri Lienard struck on 74 minutes.
Stephane Bahoken poked against the post with Martin Terrier blasting wide from the follow-up as Strasbourg wasted a glorious chance to wrap up the three points.
It proved costly as Mitroglou, who scored three times on international duty to help Greece earn a World Cup play-off place, pounced on a rebound two minutes from time after a mistake from Bingourou Kamara.
"Mitroglou was involved in almost everything good we did. He can do a bit more and a bit better but you have to give him time. It's a good starting point," said Marseille coach Rudi Garcia.
Mandanda, back in France after an unsuccessful spell at Crystal Palace last season, broke the long-standing record of former midfielder Roger Scotti, who played 452 times for Marseille in a career that lasted from 1942 to 1958.
Despite Mitroglou's late rescue act, Marseille saw their three-match winning run in the league snapped as they finished the weekend eight points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain ahead of next Sunday's showdown at the Velodrome.
