Kluivert scores as Nice wins to pressure Marseille for 2nd

PARIS (AP) — Justin Kluivert continued his good form by scoring the only goal as Nice beat Angers 1-0 on Sunday, pressuring Marseille in the race for second place and an automatic Champions League spot.

Third-place Nice moved one point point behind Marseille, which hosted struggling Clermont later Sunday. A win would move Marseille 10 points behind league leader Paris Saint-Germain, which lost 3-1 at Nantes on Saturday for only its second defeat.

Kluivert latched onto Melvin Bard’s long pass in the 18th minute and slotted the ball through the legs of goalkeeper Danijel Petkovic, who misjudged his rush off the line.

A few minutes earlier, Kluivert’s free kick had set up Khephren Thuram for a headed goal but it was ruled out following a video review. The irrepressible Kluivert’s cross set up another header midway through the second half, this time for striker Andy Delort, but that one was also chalked off by VAR.

The 22-year-old Kluivert plays on the left wing and scored two excellent goals earlier this month in the French Cup quarterfinals. He is the son of former Ajax, Barcelona and Netherlands striker Patrick Kluivert. Thuram is the son of former standout defender Lilian Thuram, who won the World Cup and the European Championship with France.

It was a fourth straight defeat for Angers.

In other matches Sunday, last-place Bordeaux hosted Monaco.

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