The China Mail - Marseille go top in Ligue 1 as Lens thrash Monaco

Gomes fired Marseille ahead in the 25th minute with a free-kick that squirmed through the hands of Brest goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki.

Greenwood struck his eighth league goal of the season, from the penalty spot after Igor Paixao was fouled by defender Kenny Lala.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang bagged a late third as Marseille shook off their controversial midweek Champions League defeat by Atalanta to go a point clear of PSG in the French top flight.

"It's typical of Marseille. We played badly against Atalanta on Wednesday with almost the same team as today," said Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi.

"But today I think we played a very good match and I had a lot of fun on the bench."

"There's no reason right now for an OM player to be worried. We're top of the table with the best attack and 28 goals scored. I'd even like them to play with more courage and confidence," De Zerbi added.

Lens are level with Marseille after a 4-1 win over 10-man Monaco, who had USA international Folarin Balogun sent off shortly after he had scored.

Odsonne Edouard put Lens ahead in the principality but Balogun equalised with a penalty. Wesley Said restored the lead for Lens before Balogun saw red for a challenge on Mamadou Sangare.

Sangare promptly grabbed Lens' third on the stroke of half-time. Said scored again in the 60th minute. Ansu Fati missed a late penalty for Monaco to compound their misery as they slid to a second straight league defeat, falling five points behind the leading duo.

Le Havre snatched a last-gasp equaliser to draw 1-1 with Nantes.

Luis Enrique's injury-hit PSG can reclaim first place on Sunday with a win away to Lyon, but the reigning champions are without Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Desire Doue and Nuno Mendes, who are all injured.

S.Wilson--ThChM