Ismael Doukoure celebrates after scoring the aim that handed Strasbourg a 1-0 win over Reims (FRANCOIS NASCIMBENI)
Strasbourg moved into the Champions League spots following a 1-0 win at Reims in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
A top-four end for Liam Rosenior’s younger Strasbourg facet would safe them Champions League soccer for the primary time since 1980.
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Ismael Doucoure’s early strike was sufficient to earn them an important victory at Reims on Sunday and produce Strasbourg as much as 49 factors — degree with third-placed Marseille.
However Marseille can open the hole within the race to Europe’s prime membership competitors again to 3 factors later after they host mid-table Toulouse.
A top-three end will guarantee direct qualification for the event, whereas the facet in fourth will play a qualifying spherical to succeed in the league section.
Two factors separate Strasbourg and seventh-placed Lille, with French giants Lyon and Good in between.
Doucoure was left all on his personal contained in the six-yard field to stroke residence from Sebastian Nanasi’s nook within the fourth minute.
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Reims thought they had been degree on 20 minutes, however Junya Ito’s strike was dominated out for a handball by the Japanese ahead.
Previous to touching Ito’s hand, the ball was dealt with by Strasbourg’s Mamadou Sarr, nonetheless after a VAR assessment no penalty was awarded by referee Clement Turpin.
Either side then completed right down to 10 males as Mory Gbane and Diego Moreira had been dismissed for his or her half in a scuffle seven minutes into damage time.
The cleansheet prolonged Strasbourg goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic’s spectacular report of getting conceded solely eight league objectives since early December.
Defeat for Reims meant Samba Diawara’s facet slipped into sixteenth place — the relegation play-off spot.
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Elsewhere, Le Havre escaped the relegation play-off place on the expense of Reims with a 2-0 win away to bottom-of-the-table Montpellier.
Yassine Kechta opened the scoring on three minutes, earlier than Abdoulaye Toure made certain of the three factors half-an-hour later.
Saint-Etienne stay mired within the direct relegation zone following a 1-0 loss to Lens.
Rennes misplaced 1-0 at residence to Auxerre following an 89th-minute winner by Jubal.
In a while Sunday, Marseille can transfer into second forward of Monaco, although Roberto De Zerbi’s facet can not dream of catching leaders Paris Saint-Germain who wrapped up the Ligue 1 title on Saturday.
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