Marseille top Ligue 1 on goal difference after beating Metz for fourth straight win

PARIS (AP) — Marseille won at rock-bottom Metz 3-0 to notch a fourth straight win in Ligue 1 and move on top on goal difference from Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon on Saturday.

Marseille winger Igor Paixão found the net in the 51st minute with a deflected strike from 18-year-old Robinio Vaz’s pass from the right.

Paixão scored two well-taken goals on Tuesday in a 4-0 win against Ajax in the Champions League. The Brazilian is finding form after joining from Feyenoord in a deal that could rise to 35 million euros ($40.6 million).

Denmark midfielder Matt O’Riley made it 2-0 in the 69th after being set up by forward Amine Gouiri, who then neatly swapped passes with O’Riley for the third goal.

Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi’s team is finally functioning at both ends, with 10 scored and one conceded in the past four games.

“I’m very happy because these are the kind of matches we were losing last year. We have matured and the team is much stronger,” the Italian said. “This is my best period since I’ve been at Marseille, but it’s precisely when things are going well that you have to stay on your toes.”

The match was held up for a few minutes late on following crowd trouble. Metz and Marseille players went over to calm the fans while referee Clément Turpin waited for the situation to calm down.