Marsielle overhaul Lille 2-1
Paris, Feb. 17: Marseille hit back from a goal down to score twice in two minutes for a 2-1 win at Lille on Sunday which kept Andre Villas-Boas’ side comfortably on course for the Champions League.
The victory gave secondplaced Marseille an 11point lead over Rennes in third spot in French Ligue 1 where champions Paris Saint-Germain still lead the way with a 10point cushion.
Lille stay fourth but are 12 points behind Marseille in the race for the two automatic qualifying places for next season’s Champions League.
“We didn’t do much in the first half, but in the second we had a lot of intensity and showed aggressiveness,” said Villas-Boas.
He added: “We talked at half-time about what we would do if we got a goal. We played a decent match.”
Nigerian international Victor Osimhen gave Lille a 51st-minute lead pouncing onto Jonathan Bamba’s pass to beat Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda for his 13th goal of the season, the same number as PSG’s Brazilian superstar Neymar.
But Marseille were level in the 67th minute when Reinildo turned a header from Valere Germain into his own goal before Argentine striker Dario Benedetto grabbed the winner two minutes later.
A below-par Marseille could even afford the luxury of a missed penalty just on the hour when Lille keeper Mike Maignan saved from Valentin Rongier.
Victory was the perfect way for Marseille to bounce back from Wednesday’s French Cup exit at the hands of Lyon.
Lyon’s poor league form continued with a 1-1 home draw against Strasbourg at a blustery Groupama Stadium that leaves them languishing in mid-table.
Rudi Garcia’s side are 11th on 34 points after a fourth match without a win, one in which the away side struck the post twice late on.