A dominant second-half performance handed Marseille a 4-0 victory over Lens this evening to put more pressure on Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain in the Ligue 1 title race.
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Marcelo Bielsa's side created the first clear chance of the match as Dimitri Payet drifted into space before picking out Andre-Pierre Gignac, who could only slice wide of the post.
Lens were positive with their approach, but Marseille created the better chances early on as both Florian Thauvin and Andre Ayew missed the target from promising positions.
A moment of magic from Pablo Chavarria should have given the hosts a breakthrough as he turned into space to deliver a cross which was somehow diverted wide by Yoann Touzghar.
Marseille dominated either stage of the interval, and they were rewarded with the opening goal early in the second half when half-time substitute Michy Batshuayi found the room to convert Payet's inviting cross.
Batshuayi continued to be a constant threat to the vulnerable Lens defence, with only a fine save from Rudy Riou preventing him from finding the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
However, it would prove to be a comfortable finish as Marseille pulled away from the home side thanks to two goals in four minutes, with Alaixys Romao doubling the lead from close range after Payet's free kick had struck the post.
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Lens couldn't handle the pace of the Marseille attacks, and it was Ayew who finished the job with a calm finish from a Benjamin Mendy cross.
The hosts struggled to produce any kind of response, and Marseille added a fourth when Ayew found Batshuayi, who fired home to clinch a win which moves his side within a point of Lyon and two behind leaders PSG.
Callum Mulvihill
