PARIS (AP): Substitute Tulio de Melo's second-half goal on Saturday gave Lille a 1-0 win over Lens to retain its four-point lead in the French league.
For an hour, Lille could not create any clear-cut chance as Lens played with 10 men behind the ball. Lille coach Rudi Garcia brought off star striker Moussa Sow and Florent Balmont to send on De Melo and Ludovic Obraniak in the 59th minute.
The move paid off as the Brazilian striker flicked home a pass from Obraniak in the 68th for the winning goal.
"Is it a small step toward the title? I don't know," Lille midfielder Yohan Cabaye told Canal Plus television. "It's still too early to say. We mustn't be carried away. We must continue with the same mindset."
Lille tops the standings with 41 points, four clear of second-place Paris Saint-Germain, which beat Arles-Avignon 2-1 after two goals from Mevlut Erding.
The Turkey forward chipped goalkeeper Cyrille Merville in the 17th, before adding a second goal in the 49th from an assist by Ludovic Giuly.
"I'm satisfied because that match was a trap," PSG coach Antoine Kombouare said. "If we win, it's normal. But if we lose, nobody understands.
"Winning was the most important thing, even though we suffered. Those three points will count at the end of the season."
Deme Ndiaye volleyed into the top corner to score a consolation goal for the hosts in the 57th.
In Saturday's other games, it was: Sochaux 5, Rennes 1; Valenciennes 2, Lyon 1; Saint-Etienne 2, Toulouse 1; Lorient 2, Brest 0 and Caen 2, Auxerre 0.
Mali forward Modibo Maiga headed in a cross from Marvin Martin to put mid-standings Sochaux ahead in the 19th. Martin doubled the lead with a curling shot in the 43rd after some fine work from Ryad Boudebouz on the right flank.
Ideye Brown converted a rebound in the 52nd to score his ninth league goal and make it 3-0.
Razak Boukari pulled one back for Rennes in the 54th. But Boudebouz put the result beyond doubt by converting a penalty in the 73rd after Rennes goalkeeper Nicolas Douchez had fouled Maiga to receive a red card.
Maiga notched his ninth league goal to seal the win in the 86th.
Rennes slipped to fourth place with 34 points.
"We deserved to be punished because we got off to a bad start and we paid for it," Rennes coach Frederic Antonetti said. "We mustn't forget this match. It was a test and we flunked it. We have to analyze why we failed."
In Valenciennes, Milan Bisevac opened the scoring for the hosts from a 50th-minute spot kick after Lyon midfielder Jeremy Toulalan had tripped Gael Danic.
Gregory Pujol added a second goal from close range in the 58th, before Lyon winger Michel Bastos scored from the edge of the box a consolation goal in the 71st.
Lyon moved into third place on goal difference with 34 points. The loss, however, snapped Lyon's 13-game unbeaten streak in the league.
"We didn't play at our level," Lyon coach Claude Puel said. "Valenciennes had a good game but we put them in a good situation. We let them have some hope. We will need to be much more consistent and play without the handbrake at the start of the match."
In Saint-Etienne, midfielder Bakary Sako beat goalkeeper Matthieu Valverde in the 18th. He pounced on a loose ball in the 32nd to double the lead.
Franck Tabanou pulled one back for Toulouse in the 51st with a long-range strike into the top corner.
Saint-Etienne jumped to sixth place with 32 points.
In Lorient, Kevin Gameiro found the net in the 62nd and the 70th to raise his tally this season to 10 goals.
In Caen, Benjamin Nivet put the hosts ahead in the 59th from a pass by Romain Hamouma. Kandia Traore intercepted a backpass from Kamel Chafni to score in the 87th.
Caen moved out of the relegation zone, level on 24 points with Auxerre.
On Sunday, Marseille visits Monaco, Bordeaux hosts Nice and Montpellier faces Nancy.
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