Marseille clinches French title
Source: Agencies |
May 7, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
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MARSEILLE clinched its ninth league title by beating Rennes 3-1 on Wednesday, moving within one of the French record.
Gabriel Heinze, Mamadou Niang and Lucho Gonzalez scored for Marseille, which only trails Saint-Etienne in French titles.
"We've worked hard the whole season," Niang told Canal Plus television. "It wasn't easy. There were bad times and there were good times. But in the end it's bliss."
Heinze curled in a free-kick in the third minute, but Rennes forward Jimmy Briand headed in a cross from Jerome Leroy to equalize in the 38th.
Niang tapped into an empty net in the 76th, and Gonzalez beat goalkeepeer Nicolas Douchez from the edge of the area one minute later as Marseille's fans celebrated the title at its home ground of Stade Velodrome.
After the final whistle blew, Marseille's players celebrated on the pitch with the stadium's speakers blasting "We Are The Champions" by British rock band Queen.
Marseille, coached by former French captain Didier Deschamps, tops the standings with an unbeatable 75 points, eight more than Lille and Auxerre. Lyon is fourth with 65 points. There are two rounds remaining.
Marseille doesn't have Lille's potent attack or Auxerre's tight defense but the team won the title because it contained the best balance - combining the second best offense with the second tightest defense. It also had the most wins and the fewest losses.
"Marseille can really be a great European club," winger Hatem Ben Arfa said. "We mustn't stop here. I believe this club could climb very high with time."
Also on Wednesday, it was: Lyon 2, Auxerre 1; Toulouse 0, Lille 2; Nice 1, Bordeaux 1; Sochaux 0, Montpellier 1; Lorient 2, Monaco 2; Paris Saint-Germain 2, Valenciennes 2; Nancy 3, Le Mans 2; Lens 1, Grenoble 1 and Boulogne 0, Saint-Etienne 1.
Saint-Etienne secured safety while Le Mans and Boulogne were relegated to the second division.
Gabriel Heinze, Mamadou Niang and Lucho Gonzalez scored for Marseille, which only trails Saint-Etienne in French titles.
"We've worked hard the whole season," Niang told Canal Plus television. "It wasn't easy. There were bad times and there were good times. But in the end it's bliss."
Heinze curled in a free-kick in the third minute, but Rennes forward Jimmy Briand headed in a cross from Jerome Leroy to equalize in the 38th.
Niang tapped into an empty net in the 76th, and Gonzalez beat goalkeepeer Nicolas Douchez from the edge of the area one minute later as Marseille's fans celebrated the title at its home ground of Stade Velodrome.
After the final whistle blew, Marseille's players celebrated on the pitch with the stadium's speakers blasting "We Are The Champions" by British rock band Queen.
Marseille, coached by former French captain Didier Deschamps, tops the standings with an unbeatable 75 points, eight more than Lille and Auxerre. Lyon is fourth with 65 points. There are two rounds remaining.
Marseille doesn't have Lille's potent attack or Auxerre's tight defense but the team won the title because it contained the best balance - combining the second best offense with the second tightest defense. It also had the most wins and the fewest losses.
"Marseille can really be a great European club," winger Hatem Ben Arfa said. "We mustn't stop here. I believe this club could climb very high with time."
Also on Wednesday, it was: Lyon 2, Auxerre 1; Toulouse 0, Lille 2; Nice 1, Bordeaux 1; Sochaux 0, Montpellier 1; Lorient 2, Monaco 2; Paris Saint-Germain 2, Valenciennes 2; Nancy 3, Le Mans 2; Lens 1, Grenoble 1 and Boulogne 0, Saint-Etienne 1.
Saint-Etienne secured safety while Le Mans and Boulogne were relegated to the second division.
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