Marseille kept their Ligue 1 title hopes alive with a vital 1-0 win at relegation-threatened Lens.
Cheyrou nets only goal of the game
Marseille kept their Ligue 1 title hopes alive with a vital 1-0 win at relegation-threatened Lens.
Benoit Cheyrou struck the vital blow with 21 minutes remaining, moving Marseille to within four points of leaders Lille.
Lens remain in deep trouble, however, five points shy of safety following a seventh home defeat of the year.
They did start the brighter, though, with Kanga Akale driving against Steve Mandanda, before Eduardo got on the end of a Sebastien Roudet corner following a scramble and smashed a header against the bar.
Marseille grew into the game after that, with Lucho taking aim from 20 yards and inadvertently playing in Loic Remy who was unable to beat Vedran Runje when through on goal.
Action
Lucho then burst into the area and bore down on goal, only to have a shot turned away by Runje.
Mandanda was the next goalkeeper in action, flying to his right to keep out an Issam Jemaa header as the half-time whistle approached.
Lens flew out after the break and Adil Hermach skipped past Cheyrou before unleashing a drive that Mandanda did well to turn away.
The woodwork was then hit again as Roudet got on to an Eduardo flick but could only fire against the post.
That proved to be a vital moment as, seven minutes later, Marseille got the only goal of the game.
Lucho burst down the left and picked out Cheyrou, who made some space for himself and left Runje motionless with a curling effort into the corner.
