Arkadiusz Milik secured a remarkable decisive goal, propelling Marseille to a 2-1 victory over Metz in the French league and solidifying their hold on second place, securing an automatic Champions League spot. The powerful Polish striker, entering the game as a substitute, notched his fourth goal in two league matches. In the 82nd minute, Milik skillfully controlled a high ball in the penalty area, took a step back, and executed a flawless bicycle kick.
This goal marked Milik’s 14th of the season in 32 games, an impressive tally considering his frequent role as a substitute. Marseille now sits 13 points behind league leader Paris Saint-Germain and maintains a four-point lead over third-place Nice after completing 24 of 38 rounds.
Cedric Bakambu, in his second goal since joining from Beijing Guoan, opened the scoring for Marseille in the 26th minute by sliding home a close-range shot following Dimitri Payet’s corner. Habib Maiga, a midfielder for 19th-place Metz, equalized in the 52nd minute with a well-timed header from a cross.
In other matches, Strasbourg continued its fine form with a 1-0 victory at Angers, solidifying its grip on fourth place and a Europa League spot. Veteran forward Kevin Gameiro scored the lone goal in the 11th minute. Rennes and Monaco, both trailing Strasbourg, surprisingly played to a goalless draw at home against Lorient.
Bordeaux, sitting at the bottom of the table, suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of eighth-place Lens, conceding 61 goals in 24 games. Alberth Elis and Hwang Ui-jo scored for Bordeaux, giving them hope after being down 3-0 in the first 30 minutes. Relegation-battling Saint-Etienne secured a 2-1 win at Clermont, with defender Timothee Kolodziejczak netting a late goal.
Uruguayan forward Martin Satriano, on loan from Inter Milan, scored twice as Brest dominated with a 5-1 win against 16th-place Troyes. Nantes secured a 1-0 victory over Reims, with Moses Simon finding the net in the 16th minute.
In a hard-fought match, PSG claimed a 1-0 home win against Rennes on Friday, with top scorer Kylian Mbappe once again making the decisive impact with a late goal.
