Marseille claimed its fifth consecutive win in all competitions
with a 3-0 away thrashing of Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday to move
within three points of French league leader Bordeaux.
Hatem Ben Arfa opened the scoring with his first league goal
of the season in the 14th minute. Playmaker Lucho Gonzalez doubled
Marseille's lead in the 55th minute before Benoit Cheyrou sealed
the victory in the 71st.
Marseille moved up to fourth in the standings with 48 points,
one behind Lyon, while PSG remained 12th with 33 points from 26
games. Defending champion Bordeaux and Montpellier have 51 points
each with Bordeaux top on goal difference.
Ben Arfa broke the deadlock after a corner, controlling the
ball before firing a precise low shot past goalkeeper Apoula Edima
Edel.
Considered as one of the most talented French players of his
generation, Ben Arfa has struggled to deliver on his huge
potential. However, the 22-year-old winger has flourished since the
beginning of the year and has been called up for France's friendly
against Spain on Wednesday, along with Cheyrou.
PSG had a couple of good chances before halftime through
Mevlut Erding and Ludovic Giuly but struggled on set pieces, while
Marseille defender Gabriel Heinze hit Edel's right post with a
powerful header from Mathieu Valbuena's free kick in the 43rd
minute.
Edel gifted Marseille its second goal when he fumbled
Heinze's cross from the left, allowing Gonzalez to retrieve the
ball before slotting home.
Cheyrou scored from close range with a powerful shot after
Mamadou Niang set up his teammate with a header from the edge of
the box.
Marseille supporters boycotted the match in protest at
security measures imposed on visiting fans.
A few incidents occurred before kick off outside the stadium
and police used tear gas to disperse a handful of PSG fans who
threw bottles at them.
Earlier Sunday, striker Roy Contout scored twice as Auxerre
claimed its fifth away win of the season by beating Lille 2-1.
The 25-year-old Contout, who joined Auxerre from
second-division side Amiens this season, started the game after
Ireneusz Jelen was ruled out with back problems.
Auxerre remained in sixth place with 45 points.
The game was played on a rain-drenched pitch after being
delayed for two hours because of a violent storm that brought heavy
rain and strong winds.
Contout put Auxerre ahead in the 19th minute when he headed
home Benoit Pedretti's corner at the far post.
Following a swift counterattack, midfielder Eden Hazard
leveled with a powerful low shot in the 34th.
Hazard went close five minutes later when he hit the bar from
Ricardo Costa's cross.
Lille dominated the second half as Ludovic Obraniak forced
goalkeeper Olivier Sorin to make an acrobatic save in the 56th
before Costa headed over ten minutes later.
Contout took advantage of a mistake by defender Adil Rami's
to give his team the three points with a left foot shot between
goalkeeper Michael Landreau's legs in the 72nd minute.
Lille was handed its first loss in seven matches in all
competitions and moved down to fifth in the standings with 47
points.
Montpellier beat Rennes 3-1 on Saturday to draw level on
points with Bordeaux but having played two games more.
Bordeaux was scheduled to play at Le Mans on Sunday but the
game was postponed because of the bad weather.
Seven-time champion Lyon beat Nice 2-0 to stay third.
