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Brest logo
Ligue 1
Dec 2, 2012 at 1pm UK
 
Marseille

1-2

Benshop (42')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Diawara (34'), Ayew (56')

Marseille go second with Brest win

Joey Barton sets up both goals for Marseille as they beat Brest 2-1 away from home to climb to second in Ligue 1.

Marseille have moved up to second in Ligue 1 with a 2-1 victory over Brest away from home.

The win at Stade Francis-Le Ble means that Elie Baup's side are now just two points behind league leaders Lyon.

Marseille's Morgan Amalfitano and Brest's Abdoulwahid Sissoko battle for the ball on December 2, 2012© PA Photos

L'OM were always in control of the match and could have pulled ahead as early as the seventh minute when Souleymane Diawara's header went just wide.

Four minutes later Morgan Amalfitano saw his header from close range saved by Alexis Thebaux in the Brest goal, before Mathieu Valbuena shot wide from outside the box.

Marseille had another chance to go ahead in the 15th minute, but Andre Ayew failed to keep his left-footed attempt from distance on target.

Joey Barton then tried his luck after collecting a Valbuena free kick, but his shot was too high to trouble Thebaux.

The visitors eventually broke the deadlock and the goal came in the 34th minute when Diawara latched on to Barton's delivery and shot home from close range.

Amalfitano and Valbuena both came close in the following two minutes to double Marseille's advantage, but were denied by Thebaux.

Then in the 42nd minute Brest equalised much against the run of play, when Charlison Benschop headed home a corner.

That did not rattle Marseille, though, as the former French champions continued to play their usual game in the second half, with Barton testing Thebaux in the opening minutes.

Marseille regained their lead on 56 minutes when a quick attacking move saw the Englishman tee up Ayew for an easy finish from close range.

The Ligue 1 title contenders had chances to increase their advantage during the remainder of the match, with Jordan Ayew and Barton both going close, but it eventually ended 2-1 to the visitors.

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Written by
Subhankar Mondal
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG16124044143040
2Marseille1593332181430
3MonacoMonaco1693426161030
4Lille1576225151027
5Lyon157442720725
6Nice156632819924
7Lens156631914524
8Auxerre156362323021
9Toulouse156361717021
10Reims155552018220
11Brest156182427-319
12Rennes155282020017
13StrasbourgStrasbourg154562527-217
14NantesNantes153571724-714
15Angers153481426-1213
16Saint-EtienneSt Etienne1541101234-2213
17Le HavreLe Havre1540111129-1812
18Montpellier HSCMontpellier1523101538-239


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