Dieng scores screamer as Marseille moves to 2nd spot
PARIS (AP) — Senegal striker Bamba Dieng scored with a stunning acrobatic volley as Marseille won 2-0 at Strasbourg to move up to second place in the French league on Sunday.
Jorge Sampaoli’s team put on a solid defensive display to resist Strasbourg’s press and then broke the deadlock near the hour-mark when Dieng connected with a cross from Luis Henrique and unleashed his right-footed bicycle kick to send the ball into the back of the net.
Dieng was also at the start of the move, having recovered the ball in midfield. It was Dieng’s first goal since September after he went through a nine-match goalless drought.
“It was an incredible goal,” Sampaoli said. “We did a great match at a difficult venue.”
Marseille, which boasts the league’s best defense, produced a ninth clean sheet this season. Only Liverpool has done better in the five top European leagues.
Strasbourg striker Ludovic Ajorque wasted a good chance to level from Anthony Caci’s pinpoint cross in the 76th minute but his effort from close range was too weak to surprise Marseille ‘keeper Pau Lopez.
Defender Duje Caleta-Car sealed Marseille’s win in the 81st, heading home a corner kick from Dimitri Payet at the near post.
The result lifted Marseille one point above third-place Rennes, 10 points behind leader PSG which later hosted Monaco at the Parc des Princes.
LOPES SAVES TEAM
Goalkeeper Anthony Lopes kept his team afloat with a pair of decisive saves as Lyon secured a 0-0 draw at defending champion Lille.
Both Lille and Lyon have been inconsistent this season and their midtable contest lacked entertainment throughout the first half, with neither team able to muster a shot at goal at Pierre Mauroy stadium.
Lille pushed hard in the last half-hour and came close to opening the scoring in the 68th minute after Jonathan Ikone found striker Burak Yilmaz, whose shot from close range was parried away by Lopez with a firm hand. Ikone’s effort from the rebound was well over the bar.
Lopes was decisive again three minutes later when he blocked another attempt from Yilmaz, a powerful right-footed effort from the edge of the box. Lille had a couple of extra chances toward the end but lacked a finishing touch.
“We needed to come together collectively. We needed a match that could be a reset in terms of our state of mind,” Lopes said. “We are not far from that.”
Lille is now unbeaten in six matches but has won just six of its 18 league games so far. Lagging 17 points behind leader PSG, Lille has a two-point lead over Lyon.
NICE DOWNS RENNES
Nice continued its good form on the road to end a three-match winless run with a 2-1 victory at Rennes, with goals from Kasper Dolberg and Youcef Atal.
The Riviera team moved to within one point of Rennes. Nice has claimed 19 of its 30 points away from home. Only PSG has done better away this season (20).
Dolberg scored from the spot then turned provider for Atal.
The hosts got one back through Benjamin Bourigeaud’s effort in the 59th and pushed hard for an equalizer but Nice defended well until the end.
BIG WIN FOR METZ
Metz secured an emphatic 4-1 win over fellow struggler Lorient to leapfrog its rival in the relegation zone.
Metz’s first win at home this season lifted the club to 18th in the standings, level on points with Lorient.
The hosts got a brilliant start and led 3-0 after 18 minutes. Lorient defender Moritz Jenz injected some suspense into the game with a left-footed shot from very close range in the 68th to reduce the lead but Ibrahima Niane put the game to bed with a fine header from Farid Boulaya’s assist.
OTHER MATCHES
Angers was upset 1-0 at home by Clermont. Mohamed Bayo scored a late penalty to secure three points for his team after Angers dominated without finding a cutting edge.
Bordeaux won 2-1 at Troyes.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
