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Marseille’s slim title hopes hit by Angers stalemate
PARIS, Jan 26, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Andre Villas-Boas’ Marseille laboured to a
tame 0-0 draw at home against Angers on Saturday, handing Paris Saint-Germain
the chance to move 10 points clear at the top of Ligue 1.
Second-placed Marseille are seven points adrift of reigning champions PSG,
who visit last year’s runners-up Lille on Sunday.
The hosts rarely threatened against a solid Angers outfit at the Stade
Velodrome, but did extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12
matches.
Villas-Boas defended his side when asked if they rely too much on star
Dimitri Payet, who missed the game through suspension.
“With 11 guys behind the ball, where do you want us to go? You need
dribbling, winning duels, finding the last pass or goal and Payet does just
that,” said the Portuguese coach.
“But Barcelona are (Lionel) Messi-dependent, Juve are (Cristiano) Ronaldo-
dependent. If we are Payet-dependent, I have no problem with that.”
Nemanja Radonjic fired narrowly wide for Marseille on the stroke of half-
time, while the away side almost snatched a 90th-minute winner when Antonin
Bobichon’s effort flew over.
But Angers failed to muster a single shot on target, with their opponents
managing just two.
Marseille sit five points clear of Rennes in the race for automatic
qualification for next season’s Champions League group stage, after the
third-placed side were held to a 1-1 draw at Nice on Friday.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Monaco slipped to a 3-1 home defeat by Strasbourg to
leave new coach Robert Moreno still waiting for a first Ligue 1 win after
three matches.
The principality club, who drew 3-3 with PSG before being thrashed 4-1 by
the champions in former Spain boss Moreno’s first two league games, sit 12th
in the table and eight points behind Rennes.
Montpellier edged out struggling Dijon 2-1 to move into fourth, while
former Sunderland winger Wahbi Khazri scored twice in Saint-Etienne’s 2-1 win
over Nimes.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0915 hrs