Marseille held to draw by Strasbourg as title hopes dwindle

BeSoccer 6 months ago |

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Marseille lost further ground in the title race to champions PSG. AFP

Marseille were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Strasbourg on Sunday, leaving Roberto De Zerbi's side nine points behind runaway Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

Emanuel Emegha put in-form Strasbourg in front midway through the first period but Mason Greenwood hit back from the spot after the hour to level. Marseille sit second on 37 points, but lost further ground in the title race to champions PSG who secured a late 2-1 win at Lens on Saturday.

The draw ended Strasbourg's impressive run of three successive league victories as they stay 10th on 24 points. "At the end of the day, it's a good point for us," said Strasbourg coach Liam Rosenior. "We had a magnificent first half, but in the end Marseille were better than us in the second."

Sleepy Marseille defending allowed Emegha to sneak back onside near the halfway line before being sprung by an Andrey Santos through ball. The Dutch striker dinked a composed finish past the advancing Geronimo Rulli to silence the Velodrome on 23 minutes.

The home side dominated the ball for the remainder of the half but failed to break through, with Luis Henrique coming closest through an effort that grazed the post seven minutes before the break. Shortly after the hour, Marseille were offered a lifeline when Santos scythed down 17-year-old debutant Robinio Vaz in the Strasbourg box.

Former Manchester United forward Greenwood flashed his right-footed penalty past Chelsea loanee Djordje Petrovic in the 68th minute for his 12th league goal of the season. Minutes after Greenwood's leveller, Strasbourg came within a whisker of retaking the lead when Emegha threaded another cute finish past Rulli but this time his effort clipped the post.

Elsewhere, Saint-Etienne rescued a late point at home to Nantes in the battle between 16th and 15th. Augustine Boakye's 86th-minute rocket cancelled out Moses Simon's first-half opener as the struggling sides drew 1-1.

Les Verts are locked on 17 points with Nantes, but their significantly worse goal difference leaves them in the relegation play-off spot. Le Havre stayed four points behind Saint-Etienne in the automatic drop zone, following their 1-1 draw with 13th-placed Reims.

Angers jumped to 12th place with a 2-0 home victory over 10-man Auxerre. Sinaly Diomande turned into his own goal with a bullet header from a corner on 18 minutes to give the hosts the lead, and things then got worse for Auxerre four minutes later when Gabriel Osho was shown red for a last-man challenge.

Esteban Lepaul wrapped up the win for Angers two minutes into the second half with a cute first-time finish.