Monaco defeated Marseille 3-0 on Saturday to take second place in Ligue 1 of his opponents and increase his hopes to qualify for the Champions League for next season. The Principality club has led Marseille to a point with five games to play, but Lyon, seventh, is only four points drift with a match in hand. Lille is fourth, two points behind Marseille and above Strasbourg on the difference in goals. Monaco has inflicted a fourth defeat in five Ligue 1 games in Marseille by Roberto de Zerbi, who risks throwing a place in the Champions League after sitting second in the French elite for a large part of the campaign.
“We must remain cautious because the gap is only a point,” said Monaco coach Adi Hueter. “It will be very close to our opponents.”
The teams that finished second and third behind the champions of Paris Saint-Germain will provide places directly in the Champions League, with the fourth team and placed before the qualification rounds.
“We are still alive, we still have a great chance to reach the Champions League,” said Zerbi’s Marseille coach.
“I have nothing to say to the players; we must remain united. I am optimistic. I am more optimistic this evening than after a few defeats and even some victories.”
Monaco took the lead in the 34th minute at the Louis II stadium when Takumi Minamino swept his fifth goal of the season after a terrible defense of Marseille.
OM approached an equalizer shortly before half-time, but Luis Henrique’s effort was well saved by the goalkeeper of Monaco Philipp Kohn.
The hosts doubled their advantage shortly before the hour while Breel Embolo slipped the ball in front of Geronimo Rulli after an excellent pass from Vanderson.
The objective was awarded following a long Var review for offside.
Monaco added more brilliant to the score and reinforced its difference in goals, which could prove to be crucial, thanks to the late penalty of Denis Zakaria.
“In the first half, we played very well, even if we did not have a good chance outside Luis Henrique,” added Zerbi.
“But we did not suffer too much, and I find it hard to explain their goal. It was a stupid goal, and it happens too often.”
Strasbourg run by Nice
The winning race for five Strasbourg games in Ligue 1 ended dramatic while Youssouf Ndayishimiye scored with the final touch of the match to catch a 2-2 draw at the Meinau stadium.
The left back Melvin Bard gave Nice an advance of the 38th minute while he was hanging on a ball behind Jonathan Cluss, keeping his place before slipping.
Strasbourg struck Emmanuel Emegha’s 13th goal of the season at the start of the second half, before Samuel Amo-Ameyaw ended the reversal three minutes later.
But the international of Burundi Ndayishimiye jumped in the last minute of additional time to move well in sixth row, two points behind Strasbourg.
Lille went into fourth position after a 2-1 victory in Toulouse.
Mitchel Bakker scored the winning goal in the first half, after the Central Defender of Toulouse, Charlie Cresswell, canceled the opening of Mathias Fernandez-Pardo.
(This story has not been published by NDTV staff and is automatically generated from a unionized flow.)
Subjects mentioned in this article
