PSG profit as Lille conquer Lyon again

LOSC Lille Métropole defeated Olympique Lyonnais for the second time in four days, this time 2-0 in Ligue 1, allowing Paris Saint-Germain FC to close the gap at the top to a point as Ludovic Giuly earned victory at Lorient FC.

Record attendance
Lyon suffered a 3-2 reverse at the hands of Les Dogues in the Coupe de France in midweek and it was more of the same in front of a French league record crowd of 78,056 at the Stade de France, second-half goals from Róbert Vittek and Michel Bastos earning Lille victory. The result tightened the situation at the top of the standings and sixth-placed Lille are now just seven points behind the leaders.

Giuly decisive
PSG are the closest challengers, however, after Ludovic Giuly scored the only goal at Lorient with a superb volley from just outside the penalty area in the 22nd minute after Guillaume Hoarau had teed him up with a cushioned header. That victory gave the capital club a three-point buffer to third-placed Olympique de Marseille after the UEFA Cup hopefuls were held to a goalless draw at home by Valenciennes FC.

Bordeaux slip
Toulouse FC joined Marseille on 49 points as they leapfrogged FC Girondins de Bordeaux courtesy of a 3-0 success in the meeting between the sides. François Sirieix and André-Pierre Gignac struck before the break and a last-gasp third from Moussa Sissoko extended Les Pitchounes' unbeaten run to 12 league matches. Elsewhere, Grenoble Foot 38 were the only other winners on Saturday as they edged SM Caen 2-1; OGC Nice and AS Monaco FC failed to produce a goal, and AS Nancy-Lorraine drew 2-2 at home to Le Mans UC 72.