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Marseille needed a lucky own-goal to extend its unbeaten record away from home to 11 matches on Sunday as it labored to a 2-1 win against Lyon to move back to second place in the French league.
The nine-time French champion has the best away record this season, having lost just once in 16 matches. That defeat at the hands of leader PSG took place in October and Marseille is undefeated away from its Velodrome stadium since.
With six matches left to play, Marseille took back the runner-up spot by moving one point above Lens. PSG has an eight-point lead at the top.
Cengiz Under broke the deadlock for the visitors just before halftime and Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette leveled in the 67th minute. Marseille created several chances after the interval but lacked efficiency as the game looked poised to end in stalemate.
But luck was on the visitors’ side, and an own-goal from Malo Gusto secured three important points for Marseille in the race for the second automatic Champions League berth.
With the game two minutes into stoppage time, Lyon failed to clear a cross from Issa Kabore. The ball was first diverted toward the far post, where Sinaly Diomande fluffed his clearance and shot straight at teammate Gusto, with the ball taking a deflection into the net.
DIALLO’S DOUBLE
Habib Diallo scored twice to take his season’s tally to 17 league goals as Strasbourg won 2-0 at Reims to improve its chances of staying in the top flight next season.
Diallo’s double sealed Strasbourg’s second consecutive win and helped his side move away from the relegation zone.
Diallo scored the third-fastest goal of the season after only 16 seconds with a header from Habib Diarra’s cross. Diarra was again the provider of a perfect pass for the Senegal international, who doubled his team’s lead in the 37th minute with a right-footed shot from inside the box.
“We showed a lot of solidarity and mental strength,” Strasbourg coach Frédéric Antonetti said. “We’re in a situation where we can’t give up anything. … We will have to make a very good run to save ourselves.”
Strasbourg is 15th, level on points with relegation-threatened Brest. As the French top tier will be reduced to 18 clubs from next season, four teams will be relegated with two promoted from the second division.
10-MAN MONTPELLIER WINS
Substitute Stephy Mavididi scored against the run of play to lead 10-man Montpellier to a 1-0 win against Rennes.
Mavididi came on in the 77th minute with 13th-place Montpellier pegged back into his own half for long spells after playmaker Teji Savanier was sent off for a reckless and dangerous tackle in the 52nd. Mavididi made an immediate impact, heading home the winner from close range in the 83rd following a free kick.
Rennes, which hit the woodwork through Arthur Theate’s effort in the 64th, stayed sixth. A victory would have moved it above Lille on goal difference in the Europa League chase.
NICE LOSES AGAIN
After exiting the Europa Conference League on Thursday, Nice failed to get back to winning ways and slumped to a third consecutive loss in the French league.
The Cote d’Azur club lost 2-1 at home against Clermont, which leapfrogged Nice into ninth place with a fourth consecutive win.
Nice was the better team after Gaetan Laborde’s equalizer in the 41st minute but could not convert its domination into another goal and was punished with seven minutes left by Saîf-Eddine Khaoui’s winner.
OTHER RESULTS
Ajaccio and Brest ended in a scoreless draw, Toulouse prepared for next week’s French Cup final against Nantes with a 1-0 win at Lorient and Nantes was held 2-2 by Troyes.
Paris Saint-Germain took another step toward a record 11th French title after winning at bottom side Angers 2-1 on Friday.
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