NIMES: Argentine striker Daro Pipa Benedetto scored a hat-trick to help Olympique de Marseille win at relegation-threatened Nimes 3-2 and consolidate their place as the best of the rest in Ligue 1 on Friday.

Marseille were responding to last weekend’s shock loss at home to Nantes, a defeat that ended Andre-Villas Boas side’s 14-match unbeaten run in the league.

Zinedine Ferhat fired Nimes in front from a rebound in the fifth minute for the side’s second early goal in as many games.

Benedetto equalizsd in the 10th, also on a rebound, and put the visitors in front with a chip over the goalkeeper in the 36th. He completed his hat-trick in the 68th after reacting fastest to Dimitri Payet’s free kick.

Lucas Deaux scored Nimes’ consolation in injury time at Stade des Costieres.

Marseille moved to 10 points behind runaway league leaders Paris St Germain and stretched the gap to 11 on third-placed Rennes ahead of the rest of the 27th round.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2020