Marseille and Lyon obtained important victories, while the teams on the podium did not tremble to win. The summary of the weekend.
Three in a row. By beating the FC Lorient on its lawn (2-4) Sunday evening, Olympique de Marseille achieved, for the first time this season, a third success in a row in League 1, after those acquired at the Vélodrome against Rennes (2-0) and OL (3-0). Gennaro Gattuso had renewed the original 3-5-2 which had proven itself against the Rhodaniens, and this choice once again paid off. Mbemba (3rd), Balerdi (33rd) and Aubameyang twice (9th and 42nd) quickly sheltered the Phocéens in the first period, even if Faivre (41st) and Mendy (52nd) scored for Lorient. L’OM rises to 6th place, four points from the qualifying places for the Champions League.
Lacazette carries OL, PSG and his infallible runners-up
Earlier this Sunday, it was the other Olympique which obtained a vital success: Lyon beat Toulouse at home (3-0), thanks to a hat-trick from its captain Alexandre Lacazette, on three actions of real surface fox ( 25th, 29th and 80th). Thanks to this victory, the Lyonnais, still last, come back to three points behind their opponent, direct competitor for maintenance and first non-relegation. Pierre Sage, interim coach of OL, could keep his post a little longer after this valuable result.
At the other end of the ranking, the leaders all won. PSG first, against Nantes (2-1) thanks to a saving goal from former canary Randal Kolo Muani at the end of the match. The Parisians provided the essentials before their decisive trip to Dortmund in Champions League. Their runner-up, Nice, beat Reims in an open match (2-1) thanks to the achievements of Laborde (55th) and Boga (82nd), and despite that of Abdelhamid (78th). Finally, Monaco remains on the third step of the podium by taking the three points at Roazhon Park (1-2), facing a Rennes team which continues to fall in the ranking, now 13th with only three lengths ahead of the zone red.
Lille and Lens are stalling
It is still Lille which occupies the precious fourth position, the last folding seat for the C1, despite a draw conceded to Clermont, which remains 17th (0-0). Like Marseille, Brest is getting closer to the Dogues, thanks to a success snatched from Metz (0-1) on a goal from Le Douaron (75th), and confirms its superb start to the season by taking 5th place.
In the third match of the multiplex, Strasbourg obtained, after the effort against Le Havre, its first victory since September (2-1). It was Abakar Sylla who gave his team the victory with a header (90th + 7), after Salmier (48th) responded to Emegha (21st).
Finally, on Friday, at the opening of this 15th day, the RC Lens could not do better than a goalless draw against Montpellier at the Stade de la Mosson (0-0). Lens is 7th, tied on points with Marseille and Reims, while Montpellier is 14th and struggling to distance itself from the red zone.