PARIS: Olympique de Marseille regained second place in Ligue 1 with a clinical 3-0 victory over Lorient at the Stade du Moustoir on Sunday to inch closer to Champions League qualification while hampering the hosts’ chances of top-flight survival.

Lorient goalkeeper Matthieu Dreyer saved from Papa Gueye and Gerson before substitute Bamba Dieng, who replaced Cedric Bakumbu early in the first half, put the visitors ahead before halftime after reacting quickly to poke home a cross from Cengiz Under.

Midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, on loan from Arsenal, put Marseille in complete control against his former club with the vital second goal after finding his way through the Lorient defence and rolling the ball past Dreyer.

Dieng then played a part in the third with around 20 minutes remaining by providing a deft cross for Gerson to tap in for his ninth goal of the season.

Jorge Sampaoli’s Marseille are three points clear of Monaco, who are third with 65 points, before they travel to fourth-placed Rennes next weekend and host Strasbourg in the final game of the season.

Lorient are now facing the risk of relegation after dropping to 17th with 34 points, three more than 18th-placed St Etienne but having played a game more.

As Marseille look set to head back to the Champions League, the once illustrious Girondins Bordeaux slipped closer to relegation after crashing 4-1 at Angers.

Bordeaux are bottom of Ligue 1, one point behind Metz. If St Etienne, who have four points more than Bordeaux, win at Nice on Wednesday, then the west coast club’s 30-year stay in the top-flight will end.

In the late game, Paris St Germain, already crowned champions, let a two-goal lead slip for a second successive game as they were held 2-2 by Troyes.

Just as had been the case at Racing Strasbourg last weekend, the Parisian giants looked to be cruising to victory but then let their opponents back into the game and had to share the spoils. It was a precious point for Troyes, now six points clear of the relegation places.

PSG opened the scoring after six minutes as Angel Di Marias cross was met by a stretching Marquinhos, who stretched out his leg to easily steer the ball past Troyes goalkeeper Jessy Moulin.

Kylian Mbappe was brought down in the opposing penalty area to allow Neymar to double the score with a 25th minute spotkick but the advantage was reduced five minutes later when Nuno Mendes errant pass back into the heart of the PSG defence fell for Troyes’ London-born striker Ike Ugbo, who wasted no time crashing home a powerful shot.

Troyes then levelled four minutes into the second half after Renaud Ripart was wrestled to the ground by PSGs French international centre back Presnel Kimpembe and the visiting captain Florian Tardieu smartly converted the resultant spotkick.

Published in Dawn,May 10th, 2022