Marseille failed to capitalize on the chance to pull clear at the top of the French table when Didier Deschamps’ defending champions were held to a goalless draw by Rennes at their Stade Velodrome on Wednesday.
With qualification to the Champions League accomplished last week Marseille approached this held-over fixture as an ideal opportunity to gain control in what is one of the tightest title fights in living memory.
The top eight sides are separated by just two points with Marseille leading the charge on 25 points, one clear of Lille and Brest.
Photo: REUTERS
A share of the spoils was fair for both sides in a balanced match.
Rennes, placed fifth, have only one win to show from their last seven games, and they were left to rue an early penalty miss by Jires Kembo Ekoko in the fifth minute.
The spot kick was awarded when Marseille keeper Steve Mandana brought down the goal-charging Rennes striker Victor Hugo Montano, but Mandana redeemed himself by diving the right way to deny Ekoko.
Rennes coach Frederic -Antonetti maintained Mandana should have been sent off.
“I thought after five minutes we were going to find ourselves at 11 against 10. Why is it he would have been sent off elsewhere but not here? Mandana shouldn’t have been allowed to stay on the pitch,” he said.
As for Marseille this was the first time they have failed to find the back of the net in the league this season, although Argentina international Lucho will wonder how he missed a gilt-edged occasion in the closing stages.
In Wednesday’s second match Saint Etienne were on target to end a seven match winless streak when Jeremy Rivere put them ahead against Valenciennes only for the hosts to strike back via Gael Danic 15 minutes from the end for a deserved 1-1 draw.
Unfancied Brest snapped a three-game winless streak on Tuesday with a 4-1 thumping of Lens to go joint top for 24 hours.
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
RSS