Marseille slump to third straight loss

Paris (AFP) – Marseille’s Ligue 1 title hopes suffered another blow on Wednesday as Andre Villas-Boas’ men slipped to a third consecutive league defeat, 1-0 at home to Lens.

The hosts, who followed a goalless draw with Dijon by losing to leaders Paris Saint-Germain and then to Nimes, came unstuck again as Simon Banza netted a second-half winner for the visitors at the Stade Velodrome.

OM remain sixth in the Ligue 1 table, albeit with a game in hand, 10 points behind defending champions PSG and second-placed Lille.

A drab match saw few chances, with the majority of the best opportunities falling to seventh-placed Lens, who moved within a point of their beaten opponents.

Banza met Massadio Haidara’s cross to score his third league goal of the season from close range in the 59th minute.

The closest Marseille came was a late free-kick from Dimitri Payet which flew narrowly over the crossbar.

The game was one of two that Marseille had in hand over their rivals.

They remain eight points behind Lyon, who occupy the third and final Champions League spot.