Marseille boost qualification chances with win at nine-man Sporting

Olympique de Marseille boosted their chances of reaching the Champions League last 16 with a 2-0 victory at nine-man Sporting on Wednesday (Oct 12).

Matteo Guendouzi and Alexis Sanchez scored before the break as Sporting, who were down to 10 men in the reverse fixture at the Velodrome last week when they lost 4-1, lost Ricardo Esgaio and Pedro Goncalves to red cards either side of the interval.

The result put OM in second place in Group D on six points, one behind Tottenham Hotspur who beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2.

Sporting are third on six points, two ahead of Eintracht.

Marseille took the lead in the 20th minute when Guendouzi scored a penalty after Esgaio, who picked up a second yellow card in the process, collided with Amine Harit.

Ten minutes later, Harit's pin-point cross was met by Sanchez, who doubled the tally from point-blank range.

The contest was effectively over when Goncalves collected two yellow cards within two minutes and was sent off in the 60th minute.