Pagis plunders quickfire double

Olympique de Marseille might be struggling in the UEFA Cup, but they boosted their chances of reaching next season's competition with a 2-0 win against AS Saint-Etienne at the Stade Vélodrome. Marseille, who were beaten 1-0 at home by FC Zenit St. Petersburg on Thursday, moved into their best league position of the season – fifth – with two goals in two minutes from Mickaël Pagis.

Hat-trick chance
The winter signing from RC Strasbourg opened the scoring with a free-kick from the edge of the area in the 17th minute. Just 110 seconds later, he converted Taye Ismaila Taiwo's cross with a header. Both goals were scored against ten men, with St-Etienne defender Loïc Perrin off the field receiving treatment for an injury. Pagis could have completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot just after the hour, but saw his effort saved. The result extended St-Etienne's winless run in Marseille, where they have not won since 1979.

Keita equaliser
Third-placed LOSC Lille Métropole claimed a battling point, drawing 1-1 away to FC Nantes Atlantique and extending their unbeaten run to eight matches. Julio Hernán Rossi, a winter arrival from FC Basel 1893, gave Nantes the lead with a seventh-minute chip, before Lille came roaring back. Jean Makoun had a header cleared off the line but Kader Keita finally converted the equaliser five minutes from time.

Last-gasp Grafite
In Sunday's other game, a late goal from Brazilian forward Grafite handed Le Mans UC 72 all three points away against relegation-threatened RC Strasbourg. Amara Diané had given the home side the lead on 18 minutes, and Ismaël Bangoura brought Le Mans level, before Grafite silenced Strasbourg’s La Meinau stadium with his late winner.