Rennes, Lille win to stay a point apart in race for 3rd

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This article was published 08/03/2020 (2400 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PARIS – Rennes and Lille both won at home on Sunday to stay one point apart in the race for third place in the French league.

After Rennes routed Montpellier 5-0, Lille followed up by beating Lyon 1-0 thanks to a goal from veteran forward Loïc Rémy against his old club.

With 10 matches left, third-place Rennes is one point ahead of Lille in fourth.

Forward Adrien Hunou netted twice for Rennes, with the other goals from midfielders Faitout Maouassa, Flavien Tait and Romain Del Castillo.

Lyon slumped to seventh, 10 points behind Rennes.

The side in third place gets a spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds, but Rennes is six points behind second-place Marseille for automatic entry.

Marseille fluffed a 2-0 lead by conceding twice in the last 10 minutes in a 2-2 home draw with Amiens on Friday.

LYON PUNISHED

Rémy started his professional career as a 19-year-old with Lyon, but was given limited chances during the club’s heyday of seven straight titles and failed to score in 12 appearances from 2006-08.

Rémy’s journeyman career took him to Lens, Nice and Marseille; Queens Park Rangers, Newcastle, Chelsea and Crystal Palace in England; Las Palmas and Getafe in Spain; then finally back to France with Lille.

He’s scored more than 150 goals, including seven for France.

The 33-year-old marksman is repaying Lille coach Christophe Galtier’s faith by scoring at a rate of one goal every other game this season.

He turned in Jonathan Bamba’s cross in the 33rd minute.

Also Sunday, French Cup finalist Saint-Étienne’s league struggles continued when it was held 1-1 at home by Bordeaux.

Nigeria forward Josh Maja put Bordeaux ahead in the 65th, but club top scorer Denis Bouanga equalized for Saint-Étienne three minutes later.

Midfielder Mahdi Camara was sent off in the 75th for Saint-Étienne, which is hovering just above the relegation zone.

VIRUS STOPS GAME

League leader PSG’s game at Strasbourg on Saturday was called off following a decree from the Alsace city prefecture late on Friday evening because of the new coronavirus outbreak.

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The number of people in France diagnosed with the virus rose to 1,126 cases on Sunday. Health authorities said 19 people have died.

PSG hosts Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 match. Dortmund won the first leg 2-1.

The website of sports daily L’Équipe reported late Sunday that the game at Parc des Princes could be held without fans.

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