- The Canadian Press
PSG beats Dijon 4-0 for 6th straight win in Ligue 1
PARIS — New signing Moise Kean scored twice in the first half and Kylian Mbappe came off the bench to net twice after the break as Paris Saint-Germain beat last-placed Dijon 4-0 in the French league on Saturday.Defending champion PSG's sixth straight win moved it one point ahead of Lille, which can reclaim top spot if it wins at fifth-placed Nice on Sunday.Italy forward Kean struck in the second and 22nd minutes, while Mbappe netted his goals in the last 10 minutes after replacing Kean.Mbappe's brace moved him level with injured Metz striker Ibrahima Niane at the top of the scoring charts on six goals.Earlier, Marseille scraped a 1-0 win at Lorient with Argentine centre half Leonardo Balerdi heading in winger Florian Thauvin's free kick from a narrow angle in the 56th — moments after the home side hit the post in a game of few chances.Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas praised Balerdi, and also had sympathy for striker Dario Benedetto. He still has not scored this season after netting 11 league goals last term.“Balerdi had a very good game, he will become one of the best defenders in Europe in a few years,” Villas-Boas said. “Unfortunately, Dario missed a great chance with his head but he also played well.”Marseille and PSG bounced back from poor performances in the Champions League.PSG was heavily criticized — even by one of its own players — after losing at home to Manchester United 2-1, while Marseille lost at Greek side Olympiakos 1-0.Sunday's match between Lens and Nantes was postponed by the French league, which said several Lens players in the squad tested positive for the coronavirus.___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsJerome Pugmire, The Associated Press
- The Canadian Press
Rennes loses unbeaten Ligue 1 record after losing to Angers
PARIS — Rennes lost its unbeaten record in the French league after losing to Angers 2-1 at home on Friday.The defeat leaves Rennes in third place behind defending champion Paris Saint-Germain and leader Lille, which is the only remaining unbeaten side.Things started brightly for Rennes in the 17th minute when forward Adrien Hunou netted from close range after midfielder Flavien Tait's shot was saved.Angers equalized in the 26th when former Southampton winger Sofiane Boufal struck home with a deflection after latching onto striker Stephane Bahoken's pass, and took the lead in the 57th through midfielder Angelo Fulgini's opportunist effort.Rennes missed chances in the last five minutes as Angers held on for a win to move up to sixth place.On Saturday, Marseille and PSG look for confidence-boosting wins after poor performances in the Champions League this week.Sixth-placed Marseille, which lost at Olympiakos 1-0, is at Lorient. After losing at home to Manchester United 2-1, PSG hosts last-placed Dijon.Lille is two points ahead of PSG and Rennes going into Sunday's trip to Nice.___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsThe Associated Press
The Canadian PressFrench soccer league to pay tribute to slain teacher
PARIS — Players, coaches and referees at French league matches this weekend will wear a black armband in tribute to the French history teacher who was killed near Paris last week in a suspected terror-related attack.The French league said in a statement Monday that a minute of silence will be observed before kick-off while a picture of the teacher will be displayed on giant screens at all professional matches in Ligue 1 and 2.Samuel Paty was beheaded in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, northwest of Paris, by an 18-year-old Moscow-born Chechen refugee, who was later shot dead by police. Police officials said Paty had discussed caricatures of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad with his class, leading to threats.___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsThe Associated Press
- The Canadian Press
Montpellier says 10 of 12 positive virus cases are negative
MONTPELLIER, France — French soccer club Montpellier says 10 of the 12 positive cases for COVID-19 among its players and staff showed up as negative after a retest on Friday.The two confirmed as positive were a player and a staff member, Montpellier said in a statement without naming them.Earlier Friday, Montpellier said eight players and four staff members tested tested positive on Thursday and isolated themselves.Fifth-place Montpellier is scheduled to play at sixth-place Monaco on Sunday in Ligue 1.___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsThe Associated Press