Late leveller lifts Lille

By Chris Burke

Peter Odemwingie came to the rescue with a late equaliser for LOSC Lille Métropole at home against RC Strasbourg but the second-placed side are now five points behind Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyonnais.

Niang opener
Jacky Duguépéroux's revived Strasbourg team looked set to record their first away win of the season after Senegalese striker Mamadou Niang had picked up a poorly-cleared corner to fire past Tony Sylva on 56 minutes. Pouring forward, Lille increased the tempo and Odemwingie was inches away from connecting with a Johan Audel cross before, with just six minutes to go, the Nigerian launched himself to head in Philippe Brunel's flick-on.

Lens joy
The draw leaves Strasbourg in the relegation zone, while Lille move six points clear of third-placed FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, who were beaten by two late RC Lens goals. Souleymane Diawara had headed home side Sochaux in front after 71 minutes, but Lens responded quickly with substitute Daniel Cousin volleying in only two minutes after coming on. Lens seemed destined for their tenth draw of the season but El Hadji Sarr struck during added time to lift Joël Muller's side up into 15th place with their first victory in 12 matches.

PSG escape
Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain FC escaped with a 1-1 draw away against OGC Nice after receiving their third red card in four league matches. The capital club had been leading through Fabrice Pancrate's 35th-minute goal, but the game turned on its head with Edouard Cissé's dismissal just after the hour mark.

Letizi beaten
Nice won a penalty three minutes later and substitute Sammy Traoré stepped up to wrong-foot Lionel Letizi, who had already saved Marama Vahirua's first-half spot-kick. Although Victor Agali struck Letizi's crossbar late on, PSG survived to stay one place above Nice in 12th.