PARIS (AP) — Lens capped a fine week by beating Metz 3-0 on Sunday to move one point behind Ligue 1 leader Paris Saint-Germain in a tense title race.
PSG’s 3-1 home defeat to Monaco on Friday opened the door for rival Lens, which reached the French Cup semifinals on Thursday after beating Lyon on penalties following a 2-2 draw.
There are nine rounds of games left in Ligue 1 and Lens hosts PSG on April 11.
Rock-bottom Metz rode its luck until Saudi Arabian defender Saud Abdulhamid put Lens ahead just before halftime with a powerful half-volley following good work from striker Abdallah Sima, who had twice gone close to scoring.
Abdulhamid then combined with Adrien Thomasson to set up France winger Florian Thauvin for a neat finish from the edge of the penalty area just after the break.
Midfielder Amadou Haidara made it 3-0 in the 52nd minute after playing a one-two with former Metz captain Matthieu Udol as Lens took control. Udol was born in Metz and made 185 appearances at left back before forcing a move this summer.
Lyon stumbles
After its 13-game winning streak in all competitions ended last month, fourth-place Lyon needed a stoppage-time penalty from captain Corentin Tolisso to scrape a 1-1 home draw with Paris FC and is now winless in four games overall.
Paris FC almost secured a second consecutive win under new coach Antoine Kombouaré.
Having scored against Nice in Kombouaré’s first game, Zimbabwe midfielder Marshall Munetsi netted in the 62nd. But Lyon got a penalty for handball following a video review.
Lyon trails third-place Marseille on goal difference.
Rennes wins again
Hiring Franck Haise as coach has proved a good decision so far for Rennes, which won 4-0 at Nice to move into fifth place.
It was a third straight win for Haise without conceding a goal and came against the club he left earlier this season amid high tensions between players and supporters. Nice fans gave Haise a hostile welcome.
After striker Esteban Lepaul grabbed his 13th league goal, midfielder Sebastian Szymanski made it 2-0 midway through the first half. Rennes showed its strength in depth with Ludovic Blas and Nordan Mukiele coming on to score second-half goals.
Rennes is two points ahead of sixth-place Lille, which was without injured striker Olivier Giroud in its 1-1 draw at home to Lorient. Arthur Avom equalized for Lorient in the third minute of stoppage time with a brilliant dipping strike from 25 meters.
Midtable Brest won 2-0 at home against Le Havre with goals from winger Romain Del Castillo and striker Ludovic Ajorque.
Thauvin presses his case
Thauvin scored one goal on Thursday, set up the other and then netted with the decisive kick in the French Cup penalty shootout against Lyon.
The 33-year-old Thauvin joined from Italian side Udinese this season. He was a fringe player in the France team when it won the 2018 World Cup and then had a long spell out.
But Thauvin’s fine form with Lens helped him break back into the national team and he scored against Azerbaijan last October. He is pushing for a place in coach Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad later this year. ___
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