Payet on target as Marseille hammer Lorient

Paris (AFP) – Dimitri Payet struck as Marseille recovered from last week’s heavy defeat by arch rivals Paris Saint-Germain by thrashing bottom side Lorient 4-1 in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

Centre-back Rolando headed Marseille into a sixth-minute lead in Brittany, while Payet grabbed the visitors’ second with a clever hooked finish midway through the first half.

Florian Thauvin added a third on 53 minutes and Morgan Sanson turned home his first goal for the club since arriving from Montpellier in January, with Cameroon international Benjamin Moukandjo netting Lorient’s consolation.

Following an agonising 4-3 extra-time loss at home to Monaco in the last 16 of the French Cup in midweek, Marseille’s only hope of qualifying for Europe is via the league.

Rudi Garcia’s side climbed up one spot to sixth, currently two places outside a Europa League qualifying berth, and have now alternated wins and losses in their last eight matches. 

Leaders Monaco will look to restore their three-point lead at the top when Nantes visit the principality later on Sunday, after reigning champions PSG and Nice drew level with them on 62 points following respective 1-0 wins over Nancy and Dijon on Saturday.