France: Cannes Iron Mask edge Marseille Blue Stars in playoff-defining thriller

The Cannes Iron Mask (8-1-1) secured a dramatic 21-20 French D1 Elite league victory over the Marseille Blue Stars (5-4-1) at Stade Marcel Cerdan, clinching a playoff berth with a last-minute touchdown after overcoming a resilient second-half surge from the hosts.

Iron Mask strike early behind Polin’s dominance
Cannes capitalized on Marseille’s sluggish start, with star RB Yanis Polin scoring twice in the first quarter— on a pass reception and a run—to build a 14-0 lead. The Blue Stars’ defense struggled to contain Polin, whose agility and vision repeatedly gashed the hosts.

Lynda ignites Marseille’s rally
QB Hadrien Lynda sparked Marseille’s resurgence, evading pressure to fire a TD pass early in the second quarter. The momentum shifted further when Polin exited with an injury, and Lynda orchestrated a drive capped by Gabriel Bisson’s TD catch, tying the game 14-14 at halftime.

Defensive grit stalls momentum
A penalty-marred second half saw both defenses dominate. Marseille forced a critical fumble to halt a Cannes drive, while the Iron Mask stifled Lynda’s ground game. The deadlock held until the final four minutes, when Marseille WR Pedro Rosa plowed found the end zone for a 20-14 lead.

Kenfack’s late dagger seals playoff path
Cannes HC Arnaud Vidaller rallied his troops and they responded with Fabrice Kenfack scoring with 33 seconds remaining.

Playoff hopes hang in balance
The loss leaves Marseille reliant on a Toulouse Ours defeat to claim a wildcard spot. Cannes, who lead the Southern Conference, enters the playoffs bolstered by their resilience. For Marseille, the narrow defeat underscores a season of near-misses—but their fightback proved playoff mettle, should they advance.