Keeping up with the pace
Paris, Monday
Marseille kept pace with Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday after coming from behind to beat Bordeaux 3-1 and rack up a sixth straight win that keeps them five points behind the champions.
Jordan Amavi, Morgan Sanson and Nemanja Radonjic hit the decisive goals in front of a raucous crowd of around 52,000 as Andre Villas-Boas’ side maintained a hot streak that has seen them rise to second in the French top flight.
“At the break the coach told us to do more, to get the Velodrome right behind us,” said Sanson, whose 60th-minute strike put Marseille ahead after they had fallen behind to Yacine Adli’s superb first-half opener.
“In the second half we were clearly the better team... thanks to the fans we woke up.”
While a real challenge to PSG’s domestic supremacy will be difficult, a return to the Champions League is looking increasingly likely after another exciting performance led by Dimitri Payet.
With three teams qualifying for Europe’s premier competition Marseille are seven points ahead of fourth-placed Rennes and were in fine form on Sunday, failing to be fazed by Adli’s stunning 31st-minute strike for Bordeaux.
The away side frustrated dominant Marseille throughout the first period with compact defending and Adli stunned the home fans when he thumped Josh Maja’s layoff past Steve Mandanda from long range.
However the hosts were not to be deterred and Payet had a hand in the leveller, his corner two minutes after the break finding the head of Amavi, who made no mistake from close range. -AFP
