After Roberto De Zerbi’s exit midweek, Jacques Abardonado was taking temporary charge of the hosts, and they almost got off to the worst possible start as Strasbourg dominated the early exchanges.
They created the first real chance of the game on four minutes when Martial Godo was picked out at the far post, but Geronimo Rulli produced a miraculous diving save to tip his close-range header to safety.
That moment proved to be a catalyst for the home side, as they came back into the game, taking the lead after 14 minutes.
Amine Gouiri picked the ball up on the edge of the area and sliced open the visiting defence with a pinpoint slide rule pass, leaving Mason Greenwood free to dink the ball over Mike Penders with his first touch.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came close to doubling the lead, but was twice denied by Penders in the span of 30 seconds.
His first effort was drilled low and hard to the keeper’s left, but the Gabonese striker didn’t give up and recovered possession with a slide tackle on the edge of the area, only for another well-hit shot to be saved by the Dutch stopper.
The visitors barely registered as an attacking force as the half grew on, but fired a warning shot just before half-time when Joaquin Panichelli curled the ball onto the roof of the net.
Despite an impressive first half, Penders was at fault immediately after the break as he failed to convincingly deal with a backpass, and was duly punished by Gouiri, who created space at the edge of the area before curling the ball home via the far post.
Entering the final 20 minutes, it looked like the outcome was a foregone conclusion, but the visitors struck back out of nowhere with 16 minutes to go after Sebastian Nanasi’s deflected effort left Rulli helpless before looping in at the far post.
Just when it looked like the home side had done enough, Strasbourg earned a penalty deep into stoppage time when Emerson Palmieri clumsily wiped out Gessime Yassine.
A lengthy wait to take the spot-kick could’ve unnerved Panichelli, but he found just enough power to beat Rulli, with the Argentine goalkeeper getting a solid hand on the ball.
The point means Marseille are now winless in three games, with their title challenge appearing to have faded; they sit 11 points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain and two points behind Lyon in third.
Strasbourg are also winless in three, but the draw stops the rot of back-to-back defeats, as Gary O‘Neil’s side move within two points of the top six.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Amine Gouiri (Marseille)