PSG tops Marseille to close gap at the top

Paris, France - PSG closed to within one point of Ligue 1 leaders Marseille on Sunday as goals from Lucas Moura and Edinson Cavani lifted the defending champions to a 2-0 win over Marseille at the Parc des Princes.

Lucas tallied the opening goal after 38 minutes and Cavani wrapped up the points with a goal five minutes from time after Marseille's Gianelli Imbula was handed a straight red card for a debatable foul on PSG's Yohan Cabaye in the 78th.

After a slow start to the campaign, PSG has now won four straight matches in Ligue 1, while Marseille suffered its third setback of the season.

The visitors nearly snatched an early advantage when a deflected header from Andre-Pierre Gignac struck the left post, while Gignac and Romain Alessandrini both went close with chances in a furious opening 10 minutes for Marseille.

Dmitri Payet then clipped the outside of the post for the visiting side, but they found themselves behind in the 38th when Lucas snuck in front of a Marseille defender to stab home a cross from Ezequiel Lavezzi six yards from goal.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic came on as a substitute for PSG in the second half, but it was Cabaye who forced a tough save from Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.

Cabaye was then on the receiving end of a challenge from Imbula which saw the Marseille man receive a red card, although there didn't appear to be much in the way contact.

And PSG put the game away five minutes from time when Serge Aurier burst down the right wing and delivered a cross to the head of Cavani, who finished off the move to lock up all three points.

Lyon collected its fifth straight win on Sunday as the club downed Guingamp, 3-1, behind two goals from Nabil Fekir, Reims toppled 10-man Lille, 2-0, courtesy of first-half goals from Benjamin Moukandjo and Aissa Mandi, while Monaco and St Etienne finished 1-1 as Ricky van Wolfswinkel's 58th-minute equalizer for St Etienne canceled out a first-half tally from Lacina Traore.