Saint-Etienne (AFP)

Marseille (2nd) widened a gap of six points on Rennes (3rd) in the race for the Champions League, and it was still Dimitri Payet who held the shovel, signing a superb goal at Saint-Etienne (2-0 ), Wednesday for the 23rd day of Ligue 1.

From words to deeds. Payet had still "opened his mouth" at a press conference before the match, but his media release was followed by effect, special effects of great beauty.

The N. 10 scored an artist's goal (7th), by feigning Yann M'Vila with two hooks along the end line to beat Stéphane Ruffier in a very closed angle.

This goal gives weight to his words: he said he was worried that OM would weaken in the transfer window with a view to playing C1, and ready to consider not staying if this was the case.

Already in November, in an even more impactful media outing Payet had tackled his former trainer, Rudi Garcia, past the great rival of Lyon. Again, in the match the Reunion had assumed, signing a double (2-1) against OL.

- First goal of Radonjic holder -

Nemanja Radonjic gave more success to the success by concluding a block against one of his wrapped strikes (85th). This is the sixth goal of the Serbian season, but the first as a holder. The "Super Substitute" is progressing.

Payet is 9 goals away, including the Coupe de France, where Marseille is preparing a quarter-final a few kilometers away, in Lyon, next Wednesday.

OM is not yet in the Champions League of which "Dim" speaks, but it is on the right track.

In the championship, this success in the Cauldron left Rennes, its most dangerous competitor according to André Villas-Boas, behind, but also left the others even further behind.

Lille (4th) is nine lengths, Montpellier at 12 and Lyon (6th) at 13!

OM also aligned their 15th undefeated match in all competitions, and did not concede a single goal in L1 in 2020.

Only small shadow on the board, the striker Dario Benedetto is still silent, he has not scored since the new year. But except this little mishap, everything is fine for OM.

After two 0-0 in a row, against Angers and Bordeaux, which had instilled a bit of doubt, the Phocaeans tipped the scales on the right side.

Beyond the statistics, the rear guard has well controlled the Greens.

- Supporters returned to Marseille -

Claude Puel's men were only dangerous in the first period, under the leadership of Wahbi Khazri. But they misunderstood with Loïs Diony on a dangerous retreating center (20), then the distant attempt to lob the Tunisian leader on Steve Mandanda advanced fell from nothing above the bar (23rd). The Marseille goalkeeper also folded on a beautiful cross shot from Diony (38 ').

After the break, the sky-blue defense controlled the few hot situations, always finding a man to stand in the way of the attackers, often Alvaro Gonzalez, by the way.

Only a soft shot from Denis Bouanga (84th) went as far as Mandanda.

What a contrast to last season, so chaotic, where OM had lost at the last minute this match, on a double from Khazri (2-1).

Too bad the 400 Marseille fans could not see this, they were turned back by the police after a fight broke out between fans of the two camps, before the match, and returned to their buses, back in Marseille. The use of tear gas by the police even delayed the warm-up and kick-off by a quarter of an hour.

To console themselves for this affront, the ultras can begin to dream of at least three trips to the Champions League next season ...

© 2020 AFP