Tags:
Journalism of Courage
PARIS, Nov 20: Lyon has ended league leader Marseille8217;s 18-match unbeaten run with a 2-1 win as Bordeaux 8212; the other team in what has become a two-horse race for the French title 8212; picked up three vital points at Monaco.
Marseille, unbeaten in 14 league and four European Games this season, went behind to a 17th minute goal from David Linares.
Linares, ten metres from goal, saw his cross bounce off Laurent Blanc, but smashed in the rebound.
Philippe Violeau doubled the lead in the 56th minute when he curled in a fine 20 metre free kick over the defensive wall. Lyon, which climbed to fourth place with the win, had dominated possession.
In the second half, Marseille coach Rolland Courbis brought on playmaker Robert Pires and strikers Florian Maurice and Christophe Dugarry 8211; three internationals surprisingly on the substitutes8217; bench despite the absence of the injured Fabrizio Ravanelli.
Courbis preferred to start with powerful frontman Titi Camara and gave a debut to Arthur Moses. Late on, Marseille,which had won its previous eight games, attacked feverishly, and Maurice tapped in a goal against his former club in the 76th minute.
Lyon defender Jacek Bak was sent off for a violent tackle on Pires in the 84th minute but the home side held on. Bordeaux moved up to 35 points, one point behind Marseille, with a 2-0 win at Monaco, which had won each of its six previous home games this season.
Bordeaux, the loser on its previous five visits to the Louis II Stadium, took the lead in the sixth minute when a left wing cross from Herve Alicarte bounced off Lilan Laslandes into the net. Minutes later, Monaco goalkeeper Fabien Barthez saved brilliantly from Sylvain Wiltord.
However, in the 37th minute, Johan Micoud collected a Laslandes through ball 20 metres from goal and lobbed Barthez to make it 2-0.
Monaco, emerging from an early-season injury crisis, welcomed back Martin Djetou and Sylvain Legwinski, who both came on as substitutes. Monaco, the 1997 French champion, now lies in a distant fifth place.
