Lille retain pole position as Ligue 1 chasers stall
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
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LOSC Lille Métropole's 1-1 draw at home to AS Saint-Étienne proved sufficient for Les Dogues to complete 2010 top of Ligue 1 as none of the top four could muster a victory.
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LOSC Lille Métropole will finish 2010 a point clear at the Ligue 1 summit after a 1-1 draw at home to AS Saint-Étienne proved enough to create daylight to beaten Paris Saint-Germain FC and Stade Rennais FC; Olympique Lyonnais were also held.
Les Dogues led the standings on goal difference heading into the year's final round of matches and they were set to increase that advantage substantially when Moussa Sow prised a 72nd-minute lead. However, Bakary Sako replied from the penalty spot three minutes later, leaving Rudi Garcia's side anxious for results elsewhere to go their way.
Their prayers were answered as second-placed PSG went down 2-0 at AS Nancy-Lorraine. Mamadou Sakho's 14th-minute red card hampered the visitors and they succumbed to Youssouf Hadji's second-half double. Rennes fared no better as Romain Hamouma's effort provided third-bottom SM Caen with a valuable victory, as Lyon moved level with them after a 1-1 draw at home to AJ Auxerre.
None of the sides who started the day in the top half won. Stade Brestois 29 and Olympique de Marseille drew 0-0, Toulouse FC lost 2-1 at Valenciennes FC and FC Girondins de Bordeaux's meeting with RC Lens ended 2-2. AS Monaco FC stay out of the bottom three after triumphing for only the third time this season, 2-1 against FC Sochaux-Montbéliard.
