Andre Ayew hat-trick lifts Marseille European hopes amid rain of boos

Andre Ayew netted three times for Marseille on Friday in a 3-1 win over bottom Ajaccio, but fans still loudly voiced their displeasure at a side that still sits sixth in Ligue 1 and failed to register a victory in March.

Andre Ayew had three goals for Marseille on Friday. Jean-Paul Pelissier / Reuters / April 4, 2014

Fans jeered Marseille throughout their 3-1 Ligue 1 victory over rock-bottom Ajaccio despite a hat-trick from Andre Ayew.

It was the 1993 European champions’ first win since the end of February but wasn’t enough to lift them above sixth place as they remain six points off a European qualification spot ahead of the weekend matches.

Despite Ayew giving the hosts a third-minute lead with a delectable lob, fans vented their anger throughout following a month of March in which Marseille picked up just two points out of a possible 15 – the worst record in the league.

Fans unfurled banners telling the players and officials to “take responsibility” and accusing them all of “destroying in one season a club built over many years”.

This result, though, at least ended a run of successive 1-0 home defeats against strugglers Nice and Rennes.

Despite the lack of home support, Marseille were dominant and Ajaccio goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa at times kept his side in the match with saves from Ayew and Saber Khelifa.

Fans chanted for coach Jose Anigo to quit and became increasingly hostile and restless when forward Andre-Pierre Gignac headed wide with the goal at his mercy.

Ayew doubled Marseille’s advantage with a powerful header from Dimitri Payet’s cross on the hour mark but within a minute Ivory Coast forward Junior Tallo had pulled a goal back, although from a position that appeared at least two yards offside.

But with 15 minutes to play Ayew settled the nerves with his hat-trick goal from Brice Dja Djedje’s cross.

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