Thauvin on target as Marseille sink Rennes

Florian Thauvin scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season butalso missed a penalty as Marseille cruised to a 3-0 victory at Rennesyesterday that kept them firmly in the Champions League race.The former Newcastle winger saw a first-half spot-kick saved by Rennesgoalkeeper Tomas Koubek but redeemed himself by setting up ValereGermain for the opening goal on 35 minutes.Thauvin’s ninth assist of the season drew him level alongside Neymar,with Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain away to Claudio Ranieri’sfifth-place Nantes on Sunday.Hiroki Sakai produced a brilliant goal-line block to deny Ismaila Sarran equaliser, and minutes later Germain teed up Morgan Sanson to riflein Marseille’s second just before half-time.Thauvin completed the scoring at Roazhon Park eight minutes from the endwhen he nodded in a cross from Brazilian midfielder Luiz Gustavo.Marseille avenged a 3-1 defeat by Rennes at the Velodrome in September —one of just three losses for Rudi Garcia’s team this season — to movelevel on 41 points with second-place Monaco and Lyon.Monaco, who trail PSG by nine points, were scheduled to visitMontpellier later yesterday while Lyon will also go in search of a fifthstraight league win when they host second-from-bottom Angers today.