Strong second half sees PSG top Marseille in Le Classique

Paris, France (SportsNetwork.com) - Maxwell and Edinson Cavani netted second- half goals on Sunday as Paris Saint-Germain earned a 2-0 win over Marseille at the Parc des Princes in the latest edition of Le Classique.

After a scoreless first half in which neither side could grab a foothold in the game, PSG roared to life in the second 45 minutes and found an opening goal in the 50th minute when Zlatan Ibrahimovic found Maxwell in the penalty area and he slid it into the bottom left corner of the net.

PSG then doubled its lead with 11 minutes to play when Gregory Van der Wiel floated a cross into the box where Cavani rose highest to nod it into the top right corner, leaving Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda with no chance for a save.

Marseille managed three attempts on target, but never seriously threatened the PSG net and fell for the eighth time this season to remain in fifth place in Ligue 1 with 43 points.

PSG, meanwhile, opens a comfortable eight-point margin atop the Ligue 1 table over second-place Monaco.

Also in Ligue 1 on Sunday, Lille squeezed past last-place Ajaccio by a 3-2 score line at the Stade Francois Coty courtesy of a hat trick from Salomon Kalou.

Ajaccio opened the scoring quickly as Junior Tallo fired his club in front in the first minute of action.

Kalou brought Lille level in the 25th minute after converting a penalty kick and put Lille in front after bagging his second goal in the 38th minute. Tallo brought Ajaccio level in the 42nd minute with his second goal of the day and the clubs went into the locker room on level terms.

Kalou gave Lille the lead again when he finished his hat trick by converting a second penalty kick with 16 minutes to play. Things became more difficult for Lille when Adama Soumaoro was shown a straight red card nine minutes from time.

But the visitors were able to hold on, despite playing a man down late on, and collect an important three points.

Finally on Sunday in Ligue 1, Lyon and Montpellier played to a scoreless draw at the Stade de Gerland.