Évian take their chance against Monaco

Former AS Monaco FC trainee Cédric Mongongu gave his old club something to remember him by as his penalty earned a 1-0 home win for struggling Évian Thonon Gaillard FC on a draw-heavy night in Ligue 1.

There had been only one shot on either goal until the 80th minute when Ricardo Carvalho fended away substitute Cédric Barbosa's shot with his hand. The referee pointed to the spot and 24-year-old centre-back Mongongu kept his composure to plant the penalty into the net. Victory – combined with Valenciennes FC's 0-0 draw at Montpellier Hérault SC – lifted Évian five points clear of the relegation zone. Pascal Dupraz's Évian had previously condemned leaders Paris Saint-Germain to their lone league loss this season, 2-0 on 4 December.

Three points was very much against the run of play for the night; the tone was set when Nicolas N'Koulou levelled late on to secure a 1-1 for Olympique de Marseille at FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in the early fixture. Rock-bottom AC Ajaccio contrived to throw away a two-goal advantage, drawing 2-2 at home to Toulouse FC, while a 1-1 with FC Lorient did not help Stade de Reims much in their chase for European football, Odair Fortes clinching a point for the hosts after Vincent Aboubakar's spot kick sent Lorient in at the break a goal to the good. It finished 0-0 between FC Nantes and FC Girondins de Bordeaux.

The big game of the weekend in France comes on Sunday evening when Olympique Lyonnais take on local rivals AS Saint-Étienne, with Paris having won 1-0 at OGC Nice on Friday.