Marseille down 10-man Nice to close on leaders

Goals from Mamadou Niang, Lucho Gonzalez and Bakary Kone earned Marseille a 3-1 victory over Mediterranean rivals Nice on Saturday that took them to within three points of the French league summit.

Argentine international Lucho, an 18 million-euro summer signing from FC Porto, volleyed home from Niang’s knockdown in the 76th minute before substitute Kone sealed victory with an adroit finish four minutes from time.

Niang had put Marseille ahead by finishing a sweeping 18th-minute counter-attack involving Lucho and Fabrice Abriel, with Kafoumba Coulibaly restoring parity just after the half hour with his first Ligue 1 goal.

A moment of madness from Onyekachi Apam saw the hosts reduced to 10 men on the stroke of half-time after the Nigerian centre-back was sent off for headbutting Gabriel Heinze.

“I think that, on the whole, we were more in control than them, even if it’s true that with 11 against 10 it was a bit easier for us,” said Marseille midfielder Benoit Cheyrou.

“The substitutes who came on give us a lot, which proves that we’ve got a good squad.”

A sublime chip from 20-year-old Karim Ait Fana set promoted Montpellier on their way to a 2-1 win over third-bottom Le Mans, who had Mathieu Dossesvi sent off two minutes before the interval for two bookable offences.

Montpellier move up to second place, a point behind league leaders Bordeaux, who host Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday’s late game.

French forward Moussa Sow’s third-minute goal was enough to give Rennes a 1-0 win at home to Lorient, while the goalscoring return of the league’s top marksman Nene was not enough to prevent Monaco from losing 3-1 at Valenciennes, who move up to third in the standings.

Saint-Etienne’s game at home to Sochaux ended goalless, extending the gap between Les Verts and the relegation zone to six points.

Defending champions Bordeaux can open up a four-point gap with victory over PSG at the Stade Chaban-Dalmas and will be boosted by the return of France international playmaker Yoann Gourcuff after three games out.

Fourth-place Lyon travel to Lille on Sunday, with Auxerre hosting Nancy, new boys Boulogne and Lens facing off and Toulouse visiting rock bottom Grenoble.