The Japan Times - Marseille, Strasbourg win in Ligue 1 to close in on Champions League

Superb second-half goals at the Velodrome from Mason Greenwood and Adrien Rabiot lifted Marseille above Monaco, but Roberto De Zerbi's side can no longer dream of catching leaders Paris Saint-Germain who wrapped up the Ligue 1 title on Saturday.

A Gabriel Suazo own-goal put the hosts ahead midway through the first half. Frank Magri headed an equaliser shortly afterwards.

Vincent Sierro scored inside the final 15 minutes to give Toulouse hope but Marseille clung on to win.

Former Manchester United forward Greenwood put Marseille on the path to victory with an unstoppable right-footed drive on 57 minutes.

France international Rabiot then scored what proved to be the decider seven minutes later with a fierce volley from inside the box.

Earlier, Strasbourg won 1-0 at Reims' Stade Auguste-Delaune to claim fourth spot.

A top-four finish for Liam Rosenior's young Strasbourg side would secure them Champions League football for the first time since 1980.

"I have confidence in this squad, they're showing great things," said Rosenior.

"Since the start of the season, we haven't set any limits for them. They'll keep pushing until the end."

Ismael Doucoure's early strike was enough to earn Strasbourg a vital victory at Reims and bring them up to 49 points -- one behind third-placed Monaco.

A top-three finish will ensure direct qualification for the tournament, while the side in fourth will play a qualifying round to reach the league phase.

Two points separate Strasbourg and seventh-placed Lille, with French giants Lyon and Nice in between.

Doucoure was left on his own inside the six-yard box to stroke home from Sebastian Nanasi's corner in the fourth minute.

Reims thought they were level on 20 minutes, but Junya Ito's strike was ruled out for a handball by the Japanese forward.

Prior to touching Ito's hand, the ball was handled by Strasbourg's Mamadou Sarr, however, after a VAR review no penalty was awarded by referee Clement Turpin.

Both sides finished down to 10 men following a scuffle deep into injury time.

The clean sheet extended Strasbourg goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic's impressive record of having conceded only eight league goals since early December.

Defeat for Reims meant Samba Diawara's side slipped to 16th place -- the relegation play-off spot.

Elsewhere, Le Havre escaped the relegation play-off place at the expense of Reims with a 2-0 win away to bottom-of-the-table Montpellier.

Yassine Kechta opened the scoring on three minutes, before Abdoulaye Toure made sure of the three points half-an-hour later.

Saint-Etienne remain mired in the direct relegation zone following a 1-0 loss to Lens.

Rennes lost 1-0 at home to Auxerre following an 89th-minute winner by Jubal.

S.Fujimoto--JT