Second-place Nice stays 3 points ahead of Brest after their scoreless draw. Lyon hosts Marseille

By: Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press Posted: 12:24 PM CST Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024

PARIS (AP) — Second-place Nice again showed why it has the best defense in the French league, drawing 0-0 at Brest on Sunday to stay three points clear of its rival.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

PARIS (AP) — Second-place Nice again showed why it has the best defense in the French league, drawing 0-0 at Brest on Sunday to stay three points clear of its rival.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/02/2024 (943 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PARIS (AP) — Second-place Nice again showed why it has the best defense in the French league, drawing 0-0 at Brest on Sunday to stay three points clear of its rival.

Nice has conceded only 11 goals in 20 league games and looked comfortable against third-place Brest in a game of few chances. Nice is eight points behind league leader Paris Saint-Germain.

Surprise front-runner Brest has never finished higher than eighth in its history, but is on course to qualify for the lucrative Champions League. Coach Eric Roy’s side drew 2-2 at PSG last Sunday and shows no signs of dropping off the pace.

Lyon's Ernest Nuamah fights for the ball with Marseille's Leonardo Balerdi during a French League One soccer match between Lyon and Marseille at the Groupama stadium, outside Lyon, France, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

Earlier, Monaco was held 1-1 at home by promoted Le Havre.

Prolific striker Wissam Ben Yedder put Monaco ahead in the 63rd at Stade Louis II after swapping passes with winger Maghnes Akliouche, but Le Havre equalized two minutes later through midfielder Youssouf Fofana’s own-goal.

Monaco’s draw allowed Lille to move into fourth place on goal difference after it beat struggling Clermont 4-0 at home, with Canada striker Jonathan David scoring twice to take his season’s tally to 13 goals in 27 games overall.

Later Sunday, Lyon hosted Marseille with no visiting fans allowed for security reasons after Lyon’s team bus was pelted with objects in the corresponding fixture.

OTHER MATCHES

Dutch striker Thijs Dallinga was on target as Toulouse won 3-2 at Reims to move closer to midtable, while Lorient won 2-1 at Metz to move off the bottom and send Clermont there instead.

France star Kylian Mbappé scored his 20th league goal of the season in PSG’s scrappy 2-1 win at Strasbourg on Friday. On Saturday he was again linked with a move to Real Madrid next season, but neither PSG or Madrid commented on reports saying he has decided to move.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer