Marseille edge past Nantes to rise to second in Ligue 1

PARIS: Marseille climbed into second place in Ligue 1 on Sunday as Jonathan Rowe and Mason Greenwood provided just enough spark to inspire a 2-1 win at Nantes.

Marseille overtook Monaco, who suffered a shock home loss to struggling Angers on Saturday. Both clubs are on 20 points after 10 games, six behind reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, who squeezed past Lens on Saturday.

In Nantes, the visitors made hard work of their victory against a slumping opponent. Marseille had the ball for almost 75 per cent of the match but managed only nine goal attempts, just four of them on target.

Marseille took the lead when Rowe found space on the left and swerved in a low cross that picked out Neal Maupay to poke home at the far post. Tino Kadewere volleyed Nantes level after 38 minutes but wasted other good chances.

Greenwood won the match when he jinked into space on the edge of the penalty area and rolled a slow, low shot inside the post in the 61st minute for his seventh league goal of the season.

Marseille coach Roberto de Zerbi said he was pleased his team had rebounded from last week’s 3-0 home loss to PSG. “Obviously that defeat against PSG was very tough, physically too. The players really suffered enormously from it,” he said.

“I’m happy with the team and the way they reacted. We must not forget that this Marseille team was born two months ago,” he added. However, he also said: “We mustn’t forget that we’re second tonight, we’ve got 20 points from 10 games, we’re the second-best attack in the league, we’ve got the second-highest scorer in Greenwood.”