PARIS — Andre-Pierre Gignac scored twice to move past the 100-goal mark in the French first division as Marseille won 2-0 at struggling Metz on Friday to end a four-game losing streak and revive its Champions League hopes.
Gignac pounced in the 38th minute, swiveling to strike home a loose ball after goalkeeper Anthony Mfa had spilled Dimitri Payet’s corner.
Payet, the league’s best passer this season, set up Gignac’s second goal in the 63rd with an astute ball behind Metz’s defence. Gignac clipped the ball in neatly for this 20th league goal this season and his 101st in the French top flight.
Ghana winger Andre Ayew almost made it 3-0 late on, but twice failed to beat Mfa.
The win moves Marseille provisionally up to fourth place, two points behind third-place Monaco — which hosts Toulouse on Sunday.
Marseille then hosts Monaco in the next round of matches.
Payet paid tribute to coach Marcelo Bielsa, who was heavily criticized following last week’s 5-3 home defeat to lowly Lorient.
"We never gave up on the coach. We showed that tonight," Payet said. "Hiccups happen to everyone and we were determined to play well tonight. It was tough, but we were patient and it paid off."
At the top of the table, leader Paris Saint-Germain is three points ahead of second-place Lyon, which has a marginally better goal difference.
Lyon will look to put the pressure on PSG with a home win against 18th-place Evian on Saturday, before PSG’s away trip to mid-table Nantes on Sunday night. Top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to return to lead PSG’s attack after a three-game ban for insulting French officials.
