Bordeaux buoyed as Marseille win

Olympique de Marseille gave their UEFA Champions League hopes a major boost with a 2-1 victory at AJ Auxerre but the night belonged to FC Girondins de Bordeaux as they sealed second place after fifth-placed Stade Rennais FC were held.

Late drama
Needing to beat Paris Saint-Germain FC at the Stade Route de Lorient to keep the pressure on Bordeaux, Rennes looked on course to do just that when Kim Källström converted from the penalty spot with 20 minutes remaining. That is how the game remained until deep into added time when Bonaventure Kalou struck to dash Laszlo Bölöni's side's slender hopes.

Marseille prosper
Bordeaux will therefore play in next season's UEFA Champions League, and LOSC Lille Métropole and Marseille are the chief rivals in the battle for third place and a spot in the third qualifying round. Marseille joined their rivals on 58 points with two rounds to play, after Mamadou Niang and young Argentinian centre-back Renato Civelli were both on target against Auxerre. Although Benoît Cheyrou reduced the deficit, an equaliser proved elusive as they dropped to seventh.