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Sports

Montpellier inches closer to top four with win over Rennes

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Montpellier, France – Montpellier moved to within one point of the top four in Ligue 1 on Friday after securing a 2-0 win over Rennes at the Stade de la Mosson.

The defending champions extended their winning streak in league play to three consecutive matches behind second-half goals from Hilton and Souleymane Camara and climbed to within one point of Nice for fourth place and a European qualification spot.

Rennes, meanwhile, is winless over its last three league matches and remain in seventh place on 41 points from 27 matches.

After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, the hosts finally broke the deadlock with 15 minutes to play when Hilton got his foot to a loose ball in the penalty area and fired it past Rennes goalkeeper Benoit Costil into the bottom right corner.

Montpellier secured all three points four minutes from time after Camara controlled a pass from Emanuel Herrera and ripped a rising, right-footed shot into the top right corner of the net.

League leaders Paris Saint-Germain highlight Saturday's matches as Les Rouge- et-Bleu travel to the Stade Auguste Delaune II to tangle with Reims.

PSG is coming off a comfortable 2-0 win over Marseille last Sunday in Le Classique which saw David Beckham make his debut for the club as a substitute in the 76th minute.

Three days later, Beckham made his first start for manager Carlo Ancelotti as PSG again bested Marseille by a 2-0 count in the French Cup. They can widen their lead atop Ligue 1 to six points with a victory and a loss by Lyon.

Bastia hosts Ajaccio at the Stade Armand-Cesari hoping to put an end to a six- game winless run in league play, while Ajaccio will be looking to bounce back from a 3-1 loss to Lille last week.

Also on Saturday, Lorient plays host to Valenciennes at the Stade du Moustoir hoping to build on a 3-0 victory over Brest last week, while Valenciennes will try to snap a two-game winless streak in league play.

Sochaux welcomes Nancy to the Stade Auguste Bonal, while Nice travels to the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard to face St. Etienne, while will be aiming for a third successive league victory.

Rounding out Saturday's matches, Toulouse hosts Evian at the Stade Municipal de Toulouse hoping to snap a five-game winless run in Ligue 1.

On Sunday, Lyon travel to the Stade Francis-Le Ble to battle Brest. Lyon can pull even on points atop the table with a victory and a loss by PSG.

Marseille will look to bounce back from two losses to PSG last week when Les Phoceens host an in-form Troyes side that is hunting for a second consecutive league win after a 2-1 triumph over Sochaux.

In Sunday's final tilt, Lille welcomes Bordeaux to the Grand Stade Lille Metropole in search of a third league win in its last four tries, while Bordeaux tries to rebound for a loss to Brest last week.