Amidst a raucous atmosphere at the Groupama Stadium, Lyon went in search of a victory that would see them win three games in a row to open the season for the first time since 1981.
They had the first chance on the quarter-hour mark when Tanner Tessmann’s deep cross was nodded into the path of Abner Vinícius, but he couldn’t make good contact and Geronimo Rulli palmed to safety.
Abner was involved again moments later when he went down under Rulli’s challenge inside the box and won a penalty, but VAR overturned the initial decision, and the Brazilian was booked for simulation.
Abner was once again foiled by the officials on 26 minutes when the flag went up to disallow his effort that was teed up by Malick Fofana.
However, Les Gones had a decision go their way just before the half-hour as CJ Egan-Riley was given a straight red card for hacking down the runaway Fofana after he had gifted the hosts possession.
The hosts looked to make their numerical superiority count, but they failed to make a breakthrough before the break. Tessmann had an effort deflected onto the roof of the net before Rulli tipped Fofana’s rasping drive over in stoppage time.
The second half was a slow burner as Marseille dug in, and they even had the first big chance following the restart as they hit Lyon on the break. However, the hitherto underworked Remy Descamps repelled Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Lyon responded to that scare in kind, and American international Tessmann should have put them ahead, but he scuffed wide when Nicolas Tagliafico picked him out at the back post.
Just as it looked like Lyon would be left to rue that missed chance, they struck late to snatch all three points against their rivals. Tagliafico bravely threw himself at the ball and was clattered by his international teammate Rulli; the ball rebounded off the bar, and Pavel Sulc bundled it goalbound, but the last touch came off the Marseille captain Balerdi as he was on the ground.
The result means that Les Gones join Paris Saint-Germain as the only teams on maximum points after three rounds, while it extends their run of league games without a draw to 18 matches. Marseille, meanwhile, languish in the bottom half after a second defeat in three outings this term.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Tanner Tessmann (Lyon)