The Japan Times - PSG beat Marseille as Montpellier game abandoned due to crowd trouble

PSG followed their Champions League victory over Liverpool on Tuesday by getting the better of Marseille at the Parc des Princes in a meeting of the top two sides in Ligue 1.

Ousmane Dembele continued his prolific recent form by scoring the opener and Nuno Mendes made it 2-0 for PSG before half-time, with Pol Lirola's own goal securing victory in the second half after Amine Gouiri had pulled one back.

Luis Enrique's side are still unbeaten after 26 games in Ligue 1 this season and now lead Marseille by a mammoth 19 points at the top with just eight matches to play.

It means PSG could be crowned champions for the 11th time in 13 seasons during the next round of games on the last weekend in March.

If Marseille lose at Reims and Monaco draw with Nice on Saturday, March 29, Paris would be able to wrap up the title with a win at Saint-Etienne the same day.

Luis Enrique made just three changes to his starting line-up following the Liverpool game, which his side won on penalties to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals.

There was no question of dropping Dembele, though, and he opened the scoring on 17 minutes, latching onto a Fabian Ruiz pass and going round Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli before changing direction and finishing emphatically into an exposed net.

It was a 21st Ligue 1 goal this season for the division's leading marksman, and a 30th in all competitions. Dembele has scored 25 goals in 20 appearances since mid-December.

Ruiz also set up PSG's second just before the interval as the Marseille defence switched off, allowing the Spaniard to make a run in behind before teeing up Mendes to score via a touch off Rulli.

Marseille were staring at a third defeat in their last four games as well as a seventh successive league loss to PSG.

Gouiri reduced the deficit soon after the restart as Adrien Rabiot latched onto a poor backpass by Mendes and went around home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma before setting up the striker.

However, Dembele struck the post for PSG and the third goal arrived when substitute Lirola turned Achraf Hakimi's low cross into his own net.

Marseille are just two points ahead of both third-placed Monaco and Nice in fourth, while Lyon are a further two points back in fifth after beating Le Havre 4-2.

- Unsavoury scenes -

In Montpellier, the clash between the bottom two was interrupted in the second half after flares were thrown by supporters, briefly causing a fire to break out in the stands at the Stade de la Mosson.

Saint-Etienne were leading 2-0 when the action was halted in the 57th minute, with a decision taken to abandon the match altogether shortly after.

Referee Francois Letexier confirmed to reporters during a press conference that the game had been abandoned on the order of the authorities after police were forced to intervene to restore calm.

Lucas Stassin had scored twice for Saint-Etienne who were on course for a vital win in their fight against the drop despite being reduced to 10 men just before half-time.

"This has been brewing for a while unfortunately," admitted Montpellier coach Jean-Louis Gasset. "Maybe not quite to this extent, but it is almost logical that this was going to happen."

Montpellier are bottom of the table, five points adrift of Saint-Etienne, who are themselves a point behind Le Havre in the relegation play-off spot and three points away from outright safety.

The trouble erupted just after Saint-Etienne's second goal went in, while broadcaster DAZN reported that incidents had also taken place outside the stadium.

The hotel where the Saint-Etienne team were staying had also been targeted overnight, with fireworks launched at its facade at around 3:00 am local time, although police said there were no injuries or serious damage caused.

Y.Ishikawa--JT