Marseille misery compounded by Rennes
Saturday, March 22, 2014
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Olympique de Marseille's European hopes took a blow with a 1-0 home loss to Stade Rennais FC and Stade de Reims also dropped valuable points but Toulouse FC moved up to sixth.
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Stade Rennais FC inflicted a sixth home defeat of the season on Olympique de Marseille and boosted their survival hopes in the process.
Abdoulaye Doucouré's 76th-minute goal, finishing a wonderful swift counter with aplomb, proved decisive for the struggling visitors who had lost each of their last three fixtures. It also condemned OM to a third defeat in a four-match winless run and lifted Rennes six points clear of the relegation zone.
Stade de Reims missed the chance to move level on points with fourth-placed AS Saint-Etienne as they lost 2-0 at ten-man SC Bastia. Toulouse FC could have taken sixth place off Marseille but conceded a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Évian Thonon Gaillard FC.
Évian are now three points clear of the relegation zone as Valenciennes FC lost 3-2 at home to bottom side AC Ajaccio, Issa Baradji scoring twice in the last three minutes. FC Nantes overcame nine-man Montpellier Hérault SC 2-1 despite a missed penalty and FC Girondins de Bordeaux drew 1-1 with OGC Nice.
On Sunday, AS Monaco FC welcome third-placed LOSC Lille hoping to move back to within eight points of Paris Saint-Germain, who won 1-0 at FC Lorient on Friday night.
