Marseille missed the chance to move three points clear in second place in the French league after conceding a last-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw at struggling Troyes.
Striker Yoann Touzghar profited from poor Marseille defending to slide in the equalizer after playmaker Dimitri Payet’s penalty put Marseille ahead in the 28th minute. It was Payet’s club-leading ninth league goal of the season.
Second place guarantees entry into next season's Champions League, and Marseille is one point of Nice in third place and a playoff spot.
Defending champion Lille's improving defence kept a third straight league clean sheet in a 1-0 win at Lyon, although the victory came only after Lyon had a late equalizer chalked off.
Centre forward Moussa Dembele's early chance was saved by Lille goalkeeper Leo Jardim, and Lille scored with its first shot on target in the 35th.
A cross from the right was clumsily headed by Thiago Mendes into the path of left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson, and he volleyed home neatly from close range.
Jardim saved from midfielder Lucas Paqueta in the 76th but was beaten by him in the 86th. Paqueta intercepted the ball after Jardim fluffed his kick and kicked the ground instead of the ball. Paqueta rolled the ball in, but his effort was ruled out following a video review for a supposed foul on Jardim.
Lille is now eighth while Lyon dropped to 10th.
OTHER MATCHES
Northern side Lens moved into sixth place in the chase for the European places after a 2-1 win at the Angers, with Jonathan Clauss hitting a floating shot that lobbed goalkeeper Danijel Petkovic in the 77th.
Lens is three points behind fourth-place Rennes in the Europa League spot.
Monaco lost 2-1 at home to Reims, despite striker Wissam Ben Yedder's league-leading 15th goal to move one ahead of Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe.
The visitor equalized in the 84th when Monaco striker Kevin Volland headed an own-goal and, soon after Monaco midfielder Jean Lucas was sent off, scored a stoppage-time winner through striker Nathanael Mbuku.
Lorient moved out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win at Brest as fellow strugglers Bordeaux and Metz both drew.
Last-place Bordeaux drew 1-1 at Clermont and 18th-place Metz was held 0-0 at home by Nantes.
PSG beat Saint-Etienne 3-1 on Saturday after falling behind for the 13th time in 26 games and travels to Nice next Saturday.
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