PARIS: Olympique de Marseille stayed second in Ligue 1 as Amine Gouiri and Mason Greenwood scored in a 2-0 home victory over Nantes on Sunday.

Nice posted their fourth straight league win with a 3-1 success at Saint-Etienne on Saturday to move level on points with Marseille, but Roberto De Zerbi’s men responded with a fourth win in five outings.

They sit 13 points behind runaway leaders Paris St-Germain but remain in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

“We deserved the victory. We had a lot of chances, even if it wasn’t our best match at the Velodrome,” Marseille coach De Zerbi said.

Marseille had the ball in the net early on but Adrien Rabiot’s strike was ruled out following a VAR review for an offside in the build-up.

The hosts stepped up a gear after half-time, but Gouiri and Greenwood were both guilty of missing chances.

Marseille did finally break the deadlock in the 73rd minute, as Greenwood played in Valentin Rongier who teed up Gouiri to tap into an empty net and make it three goals and as many assists in five league games since signing from Rennes.

Greenwood secured the three points a few minutes later, curling in his 15th Ligue 1 goal of the campaign after bundling his way past two challenges.

Earlier on Sunday, Olympique Lyonnais beat Brest 2-1 despite coach Paulo Fonseca being sent off late on and then squaring up to referee Benoit Millot.

Two goals from Alexandre Lacazette turned the game around for Lyon after Kenny Lala’s penalty gave Brest an early lead.Sixth-placed Lyon moved within four points of the Champions League places.

Strasbourg are just two points further back in seventh after Emanuel Emegha’s 11th Ligue 1 goal of the season gave Liam Rosenior’s men a 1-0 win at Auxerre.

Rennes continued to power clear of relegation danger under Habib Beye with a 4-0 victory at bottom club Montpellier, while Toulouse thrashed Angers by the same scoreline.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2025