Top three pegged back in France

France's top three were all held to draws on Sunday – including Paris Saint-Germain FC at Montpellier Hérault SC – as the situation remained unchanged at the head of Ligue 1.

The capital side received a blow early on when they lost Mamadou Sakho to a red card after just ten minutes, but the visitors were still able to take the lead courtesy of Maxwell's sublime chip nine minutes before the interval. Rémy Cabella drilled in just before the hour to level, however, and despite then losing Younes Belhanda to a dismissal, the hosts earned a point.

Second-placed Marseille were unable to make PSG pay as Fabrice Abriel's 89th-minute strike earned a 2-2 draw for OGC Nice at the Stade Vélodrome after Mathieu Valbuena appeared to have won it for the home side. A point behind the top two, Lyon were also left frustrated, Maxime Gonalons' first-half header being cancelled out by Sloan Privat's equaliser for FC Sochaux-Montbéliard.

FC Girondins de Bordeaux were the day's only winners, as they defeated FC Lorient 4-0 to move up to sixth, two points off the lead.