Marseille's hopes of qualifying for Europe look all but over after they were held to an entertaining 1-1 draw by struggling Toulouse at the Velodrome on Sunday, while Rennes thrashed Nantes 4-1.

Marseille missed a host of good chances, and Wissam Ben Yedder ran clear to slot Toulouse ahead in the 55th minute.

Relegation-threatened Toulouse were supposed to be playing their first game under new coach Pascal Dupraz, but he was absent after suffering a heart scare at training on Saturday and spending the night in hospital under observation.

And the away defence imploded, as they have done all season, as Somalia put through his own net with 16 minutes to play.

Coach Michel has come under increased pressure in recent weeks, but Marseille would have expected to end a club record 11-match streak without a home win in the league against relegation-threatened Toulouse.

But instead they were held and stay seven points off the top three, and with Lyon playing later on Sunday that gap could quickly become eight.

Toulouse remain second-from-bottom in the table and nine points from safety.

"This was a very hard game for us, it was unbelievable that it was still 0-0 at half-time," bemoaned Spanish coach Michel.

"It's been happening all year, nothing this season will go our way. Once again our best opponent was the goalkeeper.

"I think the strikers are missing so many opportunities because they have lost confidence. In our last two games we have created 11 and 15 chances, but have scored only two goals.

"We needed to win, one point was useless."

The hosts desperately needed all three points to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League, and they started brightly with plenty of early crosses being sent in the direction of Steven Fletcher.

The Scot set up a decent chance for Remy Cabella, but his powerful strike was beaten clear by Toulouse goalkeeper Alban Lafont.

The 17-year-old had to be alert again soon after, getting down quickly to keep out a low effort from Michy Batshuayi.

The best chance of the first half fell to Mauricio Isla, but the Chilean was denied by the right boot of Lafont at point-blank range.

But Michel's side were punished for their profligacy in front of goal when Ben Yedder raced through to give Toulouse an unlikely lead.

The home defence were caught sleeping and the 25-year-old forward took advantage with a cool finish for his tenth league goal of the season.

Toulouse were hanging on desperately as they looked to end a 10-match run without a win, and for just a fourth league clean sheet of the season.

But they shot themselves in the foot as Lafont spilled the ball straight to Fletcher, whose deflected effort was miskicked into his own net by Somalia.

Yann Bodiger almost restored Toulouse's advantage, but Steve Mandanda produced an excellent flying save from the substitute's rising drive.

Suddenly Marseille were struggling, but they were indebted to their keeper again as Mandanda brilliantly kept out Oscar Trejo with a one-handed stop.

Martin Braithwaite also had a glorious opportunity to win the game for Toulouse, but the Dane blazed over when he should have scored.

Meanwhile, Rennes ended Nantes' 13-match unbeaten run in the league in emphatic style, as young striker Ousmane Dembele scored a hat-trick at Roazhon Park.

The 18-year-old opened the scoring within the first minute as he reacted quickest after a set-piece was not fully cleared.

Supersub Kamil Grosicki was given a rare start by Rolland Courbis and the Pole doubled the lead inside the first quarter of an hour, before Dembele's free-kick evaded everyone in the middle to put the result beyond doubt.

Dembele completed his treble before half-time, and although Adryan's strike and a second yellow card for Giovanni Sio gave Nantes a glimmer of hope, Rennes held on with ease.

The hosts move level on points with third-placed Nice, while the Canaries stay four points off the Champions League spots, but with a game in hand.