Batshuayi ensures Marseille finish year on top

Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi scored the deciding goal on his first Ligue 1 start as Marseille beat Lille 2-1 on Sunday to ensure that they will top the table at Christmas.
Batshuayi secured OM's ninth consecutive home victory, their most impressive run of results at the Stade Velodrome since 1990/91, after Idrissa Gueye had cancelled out the Nolan Roux own-goal which gave the home side the lead.
Marseille, who last won the title in 2010, lead defending champions Paris Saint-Germain -- who drew 0-0 with Montpellier on Saturday -- by three points.
They are also five ahead of Lyon, who play Bordeaux later, and Saint-Etienne, who beat Evian 3-0 on Sunday afternoon.
Batshuayi, who had only been used as a substitute in the league since signing from Standard Liege in the summer, was given the nod by coach Marcelo Bielsa after Dimitri Payet was dropped for an alleged lack of effort in training.
And the Belgian Under-21 international did not let the mercurial Argentinian coach down as Marseille secured the symbolic title of 'Autumn Champions' in front of a record Velodrome attendance of 62,048 spectators.
"I was especially eager for us to win this game because for five months these players have put in so much effort, so to finish with a deserved victory at home is their reward," said Bielsa, who dismissed talk of a bust-up with Payet.
The France international winger had been Marseille's in-form player in recent weeks before surprisingly being sent away on his Christmas holidays early.
"Nothing in particular happened. I simply decided to choose another player today and I didn't think it was necessary for him to be in the squad of 18."
Andre-Pierre Gignac and Batshuayi both had chances before the hosts opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when Roux, in attempting to clear a Florian Thauvin corner, only succeeded in helping the ball into his own net.
Andre Ayew had a shot cleared off the line by Simon Kjaer before Gueye escaped without even a booking after catching Mario Lemina in the face with an arm.
The Senegal international made the most of his good fortune by levelling just after the hour mark with a shot from the edge of the area that beat Steve Mandanda in goal with the aid of a deflection.
However, the hosts sent the massed ranks of Marseille fans -- many in Santa Claus hats -- into ecstasy in the 69th minute as Batshuayi turned his marker and let fly with a right-footed effort that gave Enyeama no chance.
Batshuayi, 21, said the goal was a reward for all the hard work he had put in on the training ground.
"I owe a great debt to the coach for showing his faith in me and giving me the starting role," he said.
"When I was on the bench I was desperate to get on and then to start a match.
"This is a club dear to my heart and when I scored the goal I let out all the emotion I have had cooped up inside me since I joined. I think I have taken a step forward today."
Saint-Etienne continued their excellent league form by easing to victory against struggling Evian at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
Max Gradel opened the scoring in the second minute before Romain Hamouma set up Ricky van Wolfswinkel to score his fifth league goal of the campaign.
Hamouma saved the best for last though, cutting inside two defenders before arrowing a left-foot shot from the edge of the box into the top corner.
Les Verts are now unbeaten in 10 Ligue 1 games and have gone six matches without even conceding a goal, while the result means Evian will end the year in the relegation zone.
Source: AFP