Monaco beat slumping Marseille 3-0 on Saturday to take second place in Ligue 1 from their opponents and increase their hopes of qualifying for subsequent season’s Champions League. The principality membership lead Marseille by one level with 5 matches remaining, however seventh-placed Lyon are solely 4 factors additional adrift with a sport in hand. Lille are fourth, two factors behind Marseille and above Strasbourg on aim distinction. Monaco inflicted a fourth defeat in 5 Ligue 1 video games on Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille, who’re in peril of throwing away a Champions League place after sitting second within the French prime flight for a lot of the marketing campaign.
“We have to stay cautious as a result of the hole is just one level,” mentioned Monaco coach Adi Huetter. “It might be very shut with our opponents.”
The groups who end second and third behind champions Paris Saint-Germain will safe spots immediately into the Champions League, with the fourth-placed facet heading into the qualifying rounds.
“We’re nonetheless alive, we nonetheless have a fantastic likelihood of reaching the Champions League,” mentioned Marseille coach De Zerbi.
“I’ve nothing to say to the gamers; we should stay united. I’m optimistic. I’m extra optimistic tonight than after some defeats and even some victories.”
Monaco took the lead within the thirty fourth minute on the Stade Louis II when Takumi Minamino swept residence his fifth league aim of the season following some dreadful Marseille defending.
OM got here near an equaliser shortly earlier than half-time, however Luis Henrique’s effort was nicely saved by Monaco goalkeeper Philipp Kohn.
The hosts doubled their benefit shortly earlier than the hour as Breel Embolo slipped the ball previous Geronimo Rulli after a superb cross by from Vanderson.
The aim was awarded following a prolonged VAR evaluation for offside.
Monaco added additional gloss to the scoreline and bolstered their aim distinction, which may show essential, by Denis Zakaria’s late penalty.
“In the primary half, we performed very nicely, even when we did not have any nice probabilities aside from Luis Henrique’s,” added De Zerbi.
“But we did not endure an excessive amount of, and I discover it tough to clarify their aim. It was a silly aim, and that occurs to us too usually.”
Strasbourg held by Nice
Strasbourg’s five-match successful run in Ligue 1 got here to a dramatic finish as Youssouf Ndayishimiye scored with the ultimate contact of the sport to seize Nice a 2-2 draw on the Stade de la Meinau.
Left-back Melvin Bard gave Nice a Thirty eighth-minute lead as he latched onto a ball in behind from Jonathan Clauss, maintaining his footing earlier than slotting in.
Strasbourg hit again by Emmanuel Emegha’s thirteenth league aim of the season early within the second half, earlier than Samuel Amo-Ameyaw accomplished the turnaround simply three minutes later.
But Burundi worldwide Ndayishimiye pounced within the final minute of added time to maneuver Nice as much as sixth, two factors behind Strasbourg.
Lille climbed into fourth after a 2-1 victory at Toulouse.
Mitchel Bakker scored the successful aim in first-half harm time, after Toulouse centre-back Charlie Cresswell had cancelled out Mathias Fernandez-Pardo’s opener.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
