Benzema comes to Lyon's rescue

Karim Benzema scored twice to rescue a point for Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyonnais who recovered from the half-time dismissal of Fabio Grosso to draw 2-2 at home to SM Caen. Lyon maintained their four-point lead over second-placed FC Girondins de Bordeaux who could only draw 0-0 at home to OGC Nice.

Benzema goals
Lyon looked on course for their 23rd win of the season when Benzema fired the home side in front on 34 minutes. Two goals in quick succession from Juan Eduardo Eluchans and Lilian Compan turned the game on its head, however, and Caen's advantage looked greater still when Grosso was dismissed during the interval for an altercation in the tunnel. Lyon, though, quickly hit back, Benzema scoring his league-leading 19th goal of the season to earn his side a point.

Diane double
While there was no change at the top there was plenty of drama at the bottom as Paris Saint-Germain FC, who are in danger of being relegated for the first time, beat AJ Auxerre 3-1 thanks to two goals from Amara Diané. Former Portugal striker Pauleta, the PSG captain, opened the scoring with a third-minute free-kick, before Ivory Coast forward Diané made it 2-0 from close range ten minutes later. Defender Jean-Pascal Mignot reduced the arrears for the visitors when he headed in a corner on 78 minutes but Diané put the game beyond doubt with his second close-range goal four minutes from time.

Relegation fears
PSG stayed third from bottom and in the relegation zone but moved level on 38 points with RC Lens, who lost 3-2 at Le Mans UC 72 with Japan midfielder Daisuke Matsui scoring twice for the hosts. Elsewhere, LOSC Lille Métropole defeated Toulouse FC 3-2, AS Saint-Etienne were 1-0 winners away to FC Metz, Stade Rennais FC beat RC Strasbourg 3-0 to keep their UEFA Cup hopes alive and FC Sochaux-Montbéliard and FC Lorient drew 1-1.