On February 22nd, 2024, Olympique de Marseille hosted Shakhtar Donetsk in a UEFA Europa League fixture. The game ended with a score of 3-1, favouring Marseille, who showcased better proficiency in offence and displayed dominance in their field control.

Early into the match, Shakhtar Donetsk made headway with an early goal at 11:49, but Marseille replied with a goal at 23:03 in the first half, concluding the half with a tie. In the second half, Marseille converted their territorial advantage into goals with two successful strikes at 73:20 and 80:45. Analysis of the goals reflects that Marseille formed a decisive strategy post the first half which helped them capitalise on their opportunities.

In analysing the disciplinary actions in this game, Shakhtar Donetsk received a total of 5 yellow cards while Marseille received only 1. The high number of fouls committed by Shakhtar Donetsk, a total of 17, compared to only 8 by Marseille, underscores a potentially less controlled approach to the game, an aspect that could have contributed to their loss.

Corner kicks were another pivotal aspect of the match. Marseille took full advantage of their total 8 corner kicks, compared to the 4 corner kicks by Donetsk, indicating the home team's overall dominance in the offensive third of the field. This factor further elucidates the higher ball possession by Marseille.

Noteworthy is also the accurate offside-trapping strategy by Marseille, as their opposition had zero offsides, whereas Marseille had only one declared offside; affirming a well-executed defensive manoeuvre throughout the match.

In conclusion, Marseille’s victorious final scoreline of 3-1 represented the home side's superior control of the field, efficient offensive strategies, and disciplined defence. Conversely, Shakhtar Donetsk's high foul count and accumulated yellow cards might reflect a disruptive match methodology, which seemingly impacted their overall performance in a detrimental manner. This confrontation of the UEFA Europa League thus favoured a team that was able to balance discipline with strategic offence and defence.

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