France round-up: Draw enough to send Nice top

Postponed matches
RC Lens's home encounter with FC Nantes Atlantique, FC Girondins de Bordeaux's trip to RC Strasbourg and ES Troyes Aube Champagne's home match against Lille OSC all fell foul of the weather and were postponed, but six games still went ahead.

Nice and Lyon fail to win
After Olympique de Marseille went a point clear at the top of the table last night with a 2-0 home win against Stade Rennais FC, Nice and Lyon were both looking to reassert their authority, but neither side managed to win.

Montpellier hold Nice
However, Nice's 2-2 draw at Montpellier Hérault SC was still enough to move them ahead of Marseille on goal difference. Cédric Barbosa twice put Montpellier ahead but Abdellmalek Cherrad and Kaba Diawara, with his tenth goal of the season, scored in reply to rescue a point for the visitors.

Lyon miss chance
Lyon missed the chance to go top when they lost 2-0 away to SC Bastia. Mickaël Essien's 65th-minute goal put the hosts ahead and Florian Maurice secured the three minutes with his side's second in the 80th minute. Lyon are now third, two points behind Nice and Marseille.

Monaco held
The game between FC Sochaux-Montbéliard and AS Monaco FC also finished goalless, depriving the latter the chance of moving into third place. Monaco's Rafael Marquez was sent off eight minutes before the final whistle.

Cissé at the double
AJ Auxerre moved into fifth, level on 35 points with fourth-placed Monaco after a 2-0 win at En Avant Guingamp. France international Djibril Cissé scored both goals for the visitors. Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain FC edged out Le Havre AC 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from José Aloisio and CS Sedan-Ardennes drew 1-1 with AC Ajaccio.