Rennes moves top of French league, Marseille scrapes a draw

Updated Sep. 26, 2020 5:43 p.m. ET

PARIS (AP) — Unbeaten Rennes moved to the top of the French league in style with two spectacular goals in downing rival Saint-Étienne 3-0 on Saturday.

Saint-Étienne needed only a draw to go first on goal difference but fell behind in the 33rd minute when center half Nayef Aguerd headed in Benjamin Bourigeaud's corner.

Winger Romain Del Castillo set up striker Serhou Guirassy for an expert scissor kick in the 52nd, and forward Adrien Hunou completed the scoring in the 89th with a superb lob after latching onto Raphinha's pass.

Rennes leads Lille by two points in the fifth round.

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In the other game, midfielder Morgan Sanson scored five minutes into stoppage time for Marseille to draw with struggling Metz 1-1 at Stade Vélodrome.

Marseille has not won its last three games. After equalizing late on against Lille last weekend, Marseille sneaked another point again when Sanson struck a powerful shot under the bar.

Metz led through striker Ibrahima Niane's 71st-minute effort. The visitors almost doubled their lead in injury time, only for Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda to make a brilliant save from midfielder Habib Maïga's header.

Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain travels to play Reims on Sunday without the suspended Ángel Di María. He received a four-game ban for spitting toward Marseille defender Álvaro González during PSG's heated encounter on Sept. 13.

Also on Sunday, Lorient faces Lyon and Monaco hosts Strasbourg.

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