PARIS: Lille retained top spot in Ligue 1 with a 3-0 win at mid-table Girondins de Bordeaux on Wednesday thanks to second-half goals from Yusuf Yazici, Timothy Weah and Jonathan David.

The northerners, who have won their last five matches, moved to 51 points from 23 games, leading second-placed Olympique Lyonnais by two points and Paris St Germain by three after both their main rivals also claimed three points.

Lyon had Lucas Paqueta to thank in a 1-0 win at second-bottom Dijon while champions PSG eased to a 3-0 victory at bottom side Nimes courtesy of goals by Angel Di Maria, Pablo Sarabia and Kylian Mbappe.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side were without the suspended Neymar but the Brazilian’s absence was barely felt in a one-sided game at the Parc des Princes, three days after PSG slumped to a 3-2 defeat at Lorient.

That loss had handed Lille the lead in the standings and they kept it in authoritative fashion.

They went ahead nine minutes after the break when Turkey forward Yazici fired the ball under the bar from Jonathan Bamba’s cross before Weah tapped in after being set up by substitute Luiz Araujo to double the tally. David wrapped it up a minute from time after a fine one-two with Jonathan Ikone.

Di Maria pounced on a misplaced pass to steer PSG ahead on 17 minutes at the Parc des Princes, with Sarabia heading in a cross from the Argentine to double the advantage in the 35th. Mbappe added the third with a fine curling shot from the left of the penalty area in the 67th.

Brazilian midfielder Paqueta collected a pass from Karl Toko Ekambi to slot in the game’s only goal on 22 minutes as Lyon won at struggling Dijon, who are still winless at home this term.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2021