Marseille extend run in French football

Marseille came from behind to win 2-1 at Rennes on Sunday, extending their winning run to seven games in all competitions and returning to within two points of the Champions League positions in Ligue 1.

Tongo Doumbia’s long-range goal had given Rennes an early lead but Didier Deschamps’ side turned the game around through an Onyekachi Apam own goal and a 77th-minute strike by Benoit Cheyrou to climb above Rennes into fifth place.

Reports in France suggested Lucho Gonzalez was playing his last game for Marseille before rejoining Porto and he failed to distinguish himself in the 14th minute when he inadvertently set up Rennes’ opening goal.

The Argentine was dispossessed in midfield and when the ball broke to Doumbia, the 22-year-old holding midfielder lashed home from 25 yards to claim his first league goal for the club.

Marseille drew level nearing halftime when Loic Remy’s left-wing cross deflected into his own net by the unwitting Apam.

Rennes introduced Mevlut Erding from the bench for his debut following his move from Paris Saint-Germain but it was OM who secured all three points thanks to a blunder from Rennes’ 19-year-old goalkeeper Abdoulaye Diallo.

Earlier, Ajaccio defeated 2-1 at Valenciennes to claim their fourth straight Ligue 1 victory and drag themselves out of the relegation zone.

The other afternoon kick-off between Evian and Bordeaux ended in a goalless draw, with Bordeaux goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso saving a second-half penalty from Yannick Sagbo.

Leaders PSG ground out a 1-0 win at Brest to remain three points clear of Montpellier, who needed a last-minute goal from Olivier Giroud to prevail 1-0 at Nice.

Third-placed Lille breezed past Saint-Etienne 3-0, while Lyon, fourth, beat Dijon 3-1.

Lille remain seven points behind PSG and four points shy of Montpellier, with Lyon a point further back.

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