A first-half goal from summer signing Loic Remy gave Marseille a morale-boosting 1-0 home win over Nancy on Saturday to bolster their hopes of retaining the French league title.
Marseille have struggled for consistency this term after ending an 18-year title drought last season under World Cup-winning skipper Didier Deschamps, enduring two early home reverses.
However, they narrowed the gap on surprise early pace-setters Rennes to three points — albeit having played a game more — after Remy, on target for France in last week’s Euro 12 qualifier win over Romania, fired in from close range after good work by Andre-Pierre Gignac.
Photo: REUTERS
Deschamps had said in signing Remy from Nice that “I’ve brought him in to score goals” and he did not disappoint with an all-round muscular performance in front of a crowd which included Deschamps’ former France teammate Zinedine Zidane.
Deschamps had also opined before the match that surprise early poor form had been “weighing around our necks” but a workmanlike showing all round enabled them to vault back into the top three.
The former Marseille, Juventus and Chelsea star said he would take three points even if the fare on offer was not spectacular.
“We got three points even if we had to grind it out. You can’t say we played our best but we have played better and not won. It was not a great game but one we simply had to win,” he said.
Rennes traveled to Lens and second-placed Saint Etienne to Nice yesterday bidding to keep the titleholders at arm’s length.
Also yesterday, Lille were looking to go two points ahead of Marseille with a win at Lyon, who have managed just two wins this season to find themselves mired near the drop zone, level on points with third-bottom Nancy.
Paris Saint Germain joined Marseille on 15 points and sneaked provisionally into third spot on goal difference following a 2-0 win at Toulouse, with goals from Mamadou Sakho and Mevlut Erding.
Other Saturday highlights saw little Arles garner their first point in the top flight after a draw at fellow promotees Brest.
Although Arles are looking likely to go straight back down they at least avoided the fate of Grenoble, who last year set a record for the worst ever start to a league season — 11 straight losses. Arles stopped the rot at eight.
“Our first point — it’s great,” coach Faruk Hadzibegic said.
Bordeaux, champions in 2009 under France coach Laurent Blanc, have since lost their way somewhat but they are back in touch, a point behind Marseille, after Anthony Modeste netted an astute header from a quick corner.
However, the visitors ended the contest with 10 men after Alou Diarra was red-carded 20 minutes from time for shoving the referee.
The loss left Auxerre in the bottom six ahead of a midweek trip to face Ajax — but the French side have little hope of advancing from a group dominated by Real Madrid and AC Milan.
The defeat also spoiled a 500th career match for Auxerre boss Jean Fernandez.
In other Ligue 1 games on Saturday it was: Caen 0, Monaco 0 and Montpellier 2, Sochaux 0
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