Hoarau keeps PSG in pole position

Guillaume Hoarau's late equaliser kept Paris Saint-Germain FC a point clear at the top of Ligue 1 as he secured a 2-2 draw that denied title rivals Montpellier Hérault SC a dramatic victory in the capital.

Montpellier enjoyed the best of the chances at the Parc des Princes and looked set to seal a win that would have lifted them to the summit when John Utaka headed in an Olivier Giroud cross nine minutes from the end. Hoarau made the most of excellent work from Jérémy Menez just seven minutes later, however, with Younés Belhanda having earlier levelled for the visitors on the stroke of half-time after Alex had put PSG in front.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Olympique Lyonnais's hopes of securing a UEFA Champions League berth took a dent when they slumped to a 1-0 loss at FC Girondins de Bordeaux. Yoan Gouffran proved the difference between the sides four minutes before the interval to leave Lyon in fifth, 12 points off the top and three shy of third-placed LOSC Lille Métropole.

In fact, Rémi Garde's men are one of four clubs on 39 points along with sixth-placed AS Saint-Étienne and Stade Rennais FC, in seventh, after St-Etienne beat the Brittany side 4-0 to boost their European ambitions. Jean-Pascal Mignot broke the deadlock on 24 minutes before Laurent Batlles, Bakary Sako and Max Gradel added second-half strikes.