Olympique de Marseille’s 2-0 away win at Nimes Olympique on Friday saw them climb to second at the top of Ligue 1 with a game in hand on all of their closest rivals.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are at the top of the table on 25 points, with Marseille a point behind and four clubs — Lille OSC, Olympique Lyonnais, AS Monaco and Montpellier Herault — all on 23.
After a defeat and a draw in their past two games, PSG faced the prospect of being knocked off the top spot with a tough away clash at Montpellier yesterday, while fellow front-runners Lille and Monaco face off today.
Photo: Reuters
After the weekend, Marseille is to have two games in hand on all of them, and a UEFA Champions League game with Manchester City coming up in the middle of the week.
“This group is starting to show some collective force,” Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas said. “We have got our confidence back, and we can have a go at Monaco and Rennes in our coming games.”
Argentina’s Dario Benedetto got Marseille’s opener on Friday with a classic center-forward’s control on the chest and a flying snap-shot, as the former Boca Juniors forward produced a second goal from consecutive outings after a 15-match personal dry patch.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Nimes were down to 10 players before Valere Germain wrapped up the precious three away points.
BUNDESLIGA
AFP, BERLIN
Hertha BSC replacement striker Krzysztof Piatek scored two goals in three second-half minutes to seal a 3-1 win over 10-player FC Union in the Bundesliga derby on Friday night.
“It’s an amazing feeling to get two goals in the derby,” Piatek told broadcaster DAZN.
Union’s eight-match unbeaten run came to an abrupt end behind closed doors at the Olympiastadion, as Hertha enjoyed their first home win this season.
Union played for more than an hour with 10 players after midfielder Robert Andrich was shown a straight red card for going into a challenge with his foot up.
Union took the lead when Nigeria striker Taiwo Awoniyi got between two defenders and hit the bottom corner of the net on 20 minutes.
However, Union were down to 10 players just three minutes later.
Andrich went into a tackle on Hertha midfielder Lucas Tousart with his foot up, making no attempt to pull out of the challenge.
It stayed 1-0 at the break, but the numerical disadvantage took its toll on Union as Piatek came off the bench at halftime and Hertha managed three unanswered goals.
They equalized when Matheus Cunha shot from range and although his shot was parried, right-back Peter Pekarik was on hand to tap home the rebound.
It was 2-0 on 74 minutes when Piatek’s shot deflected off defender Marvin Friedrich and wrong-footed Union goalkeeper Andreas Luthe.
Piatek grabbed his second in style 13 minutes from time when he smashed a volley past Luthe.
The visitors’ miserable night was summed up when Union’s Max Kruse limped off with a knee injury in stoppage-time.
The result lifts Hertha to 11th in the table, with Union sixth.
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