Lille draws 1-1 at Auxerre in French league

PARIS (AP) - Lille missed the chance to move seven points clear at the top of the French league when it conceded a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw at Auxerre on Sunday.

Lille took the lead in the ninth minute when striker Moussa Sow got his league-leading 15th goal of the season with a brilliant bicycle kick from just inside the penalty area, but Poland defender Dariusz Dudka replied with just four minutes remaining.

"It's two points lost. But we've come away empty-handed from here so many times in the past that it (feels like) a point gained," Lille coach Rudi Garcia said. "We know we're the team to beat because we're at the front, but we will have to learn from experiences like this."

Lille should have led by more late in the first half, but midfielder Eden Hazard chose to shoot from a narrow angle rather than passing to the unmarked Sow lurking inside the area.

Lille paid the price for that missed chance. Auxerre won a free kick near the left corner flag, and Anthony Le Tallec flicked it on perfectly for Dudka to slide the ball home at the far post.

The draw means Lille is five points ahead of Paris Saint-Germain and Rennes, who are second and third respectively.

But Auxerre coach Jean Fernandez thinks Lille can go all the way this season. "Lille will be champions, they deserve to be," Fernandez said. "Rudi Garcia is doing some really good things with his team.

Lille have been playing with the same team for the last three or four years."

Seven-time former champion Lyon failed to close the gap and remains in sixth place, seven points behind the leader, after drawing 0-0 at home to Bordeaux in a drab game of few chances.

Lyon's best chances fell to playmaker Yoann Gourcuff and striker Lisandro Lopez, but both shot straight at Bordeaux goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso.

Earlier, Moussa Sissoko scored both goals as Toulouse beat struggling Monaco 2-0 at home to climb up to seventh place.

Monaco remains deep in relegation trouble in 19th spot, and coach Laurent Banide warned his players they will be relegated unless they start improving soon.

"We were nonexistent in the first half. To win a game you have to have all the necessary ingredients," he said. "Even though we came up against a very good Toulouse team, I'm very disappointed by our performance. It's worrying and you have to ring the alarm bell."

  

Rennes beats Paris 1-0 in French league

PARIS (AP): Rennes beat second-place Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the French league on Saturday to go level on points with its opponent in the standings.

Yacine Brahimi burst through the PSG defense to fire home from the edge of the box in the 19th minute.

Goalkeeper Nicolas Douchez preserved the win by stopping a close-range effort from Guillaume Hoarau in the 75th and tipping around the post a diagonal drive from Brazilian midfielder Nene in injury time.

"I'm disappointed by the result, not by the way we played," PSG coach Antoine Kombouare said. "We created a lot of problems for Rennes. We'll have to fix what went wrong, that is, finishing." Both teams trail leader Lille by four points.

Meanwhile, Marseille edged Arles-Avignon 1-0 to keep alive its title hopes and climb to fourth place, just a point behind Rennes. Andre-Pierre Gignac scored the winning goal with a low shot in the 55th after a pass from Brazilian forward Brandao.

Also, it was: Montpellier 1, Saint-Etienne 2; Nice 1, Sochaux 0; Brest 2, Nancy 1; Caen 0, Lorient 2; Lens 1, Valenciennes 1. Marseille hit the woodwork twice in the first half.

An overhead kick from Gignac hit the bar in the 12th, and a free kick from Argentine midfielder Lucho Gonzalez crashed against the bar in the 29th. Marseille kept pushing for the winner despite boos by its own supporters at halftime.

"It was a tough match," Marseille coach Didier Deschamps said. "As long as we didn't open the scoring, it was a bit tense. There was also some pressure coming from the stands and we became a bit shaky. Of course we are capable of doing better than that."

Emmanuel Riviere scored twice for Saint-Etienne. He collected a throughball from Loic Perrin to dribble past Montpellier goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren and open the scoring in the 12th, then added a second goal in the 36th with a tap-in off a pass from Laurent Batlles.

Jonas Martin scored a consolation goal for Montpellier in the 86th. In Nice, defender Nemanja Pejcinovic headed home a free kick in the 29th to put the hosts ahead. Sochaux midfielder Kevin Anin was sent off in the 44th for picking up a second yellow card.

Bruno Grougi gave Brest the victory with a free kick into the top corner in the 88th. Forward Jonathan Ayite beat goalkeeper Damien Gregorini with a downward header in the 44th before Nancy equalised in the 74th with an own-goal from Brest defender Moise Brou Apanga.

Lorient midfielder Morgan Amalfitano headed in a cross from defender Franco Sosa in the 22nd. France international Kevin Gameiro notched his 11th goal this season to seal the win in the 87th.

In Lens, Issam Jemaa converted a rebound in the 37th after goalkeeper Nicolas Penneteau denied the Tunisia forward. But Valenciennes leveled two minutes later with a header from Mathieu Dossevi.

On Sunday, Lille visits Auxerre, Lyon hosts Bordeaux and Toulouse faces Monaco.

  

Marseille held 0-0 at Monaco in French league

PARIS (AP): Defending champion Marseille was held to a 0-0 draw at next-to-last Monaco in the French league on Sunday, falling eight points behind leader Lille in the title race.

The mediocrity of Marseille's performance casts serious doubt on its ability to bridge the gap.

"We played poorly tonight," Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda told Canal Plus television. "We were completely sleepy. We had trouble getting into the match. In fact, we didn't get into the match. We didn't manage to create chances. We won't go far if we keep playing like this.

"Things are becoming a bit complicated. At the top, teams are moving ahead fast, especially Lille, while we are trailing.

Let's focus on winning matches first before thinking about the title."

Montpellier rallied to win 2-1 at Nancy and rise to sixth spot, only two behind a Europa League berth, while Bordeaux beat Nice 2-0 to climb to eighth place.

Lille edged Lens 1-0 Saturday to improve to 41 points, four clear of second-place Paris Saint-Germain.

Mahamadou Diarra, who joined Monaco after Real Madrid had released him, had a rough start in Sunday's match.

In the opening minute, the Mali midfielder hit a weak backpass that was intercepted by Marseille forward Loic Remy, but goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier quickly rushed outside the area to clear the danger. Diarra also received a yellow card in the 29th.

Marseille has the first chance of the match in the 34th, when Remy headed just wide of the far post from a cross by Jordan Ayew.

Monaco almost took the lead on the stroke of halftime. Mathieu Coutadeur collected a long pass from Diarra to be clean through on goal, but was denied from 14 yards by Mandanda.

In the 60th, Remy beat the offside trap to fire an angled shot from 10 yards that was parried by Ruffier.

Marseille remained in fifth place with 33 points while Monaco stayed in the relegation zone with 21 points.

"I really didn't expect that," Marseille coach Didier Deschamps said. "Both our legs and our minds were slow. We had too many technical deficiencies and we lacked aggressiveness and determination."

In Nancy, Youssouf Hadji tapped in a pass from Joel Sami to put the hosts ahead after two minutes.

But Montpellier striker Souleymane Camara headed home a cross from winger Karim Ait-Fana to level six minutes later.

Garry Bocaly scored the winning goal from a long-range strike in the 59th minute as Montpellier went level on points with Marseille in the standings.

"We didn't panic," Montpellier midfielder Joris Marveaux told RTL radio. "We reacted well. We tried to play our game and we scored twice."

Bordeaux center back Ludovic Sane headed in a corner from Jaroslav Plasil in the 37th minute.

Teammate Anthony Modeste then shot past goalkeeper David Ospina in the 57th to notch his eighth league goal and double the lead.

"It was important to not get caught by teams behind us," Bordeaux coach Jean Tigana said. "We needed that reaction to regain confidence."

Bordeaux had been eliminated from the French Cup last weekend after losing 1-0 to second-division club Angers.

In Saturday's other games, it was: Arles-Avignon 1, Paris Saint-Germain 2; Sochaux 5, Rennes 1; Valenciennes 2, Lyon 1; Saint-Etienne 2, Toulouse 1; Lorient 2, Brest 0 and Caen 2, Auxerre 0.

  

Lille beats Lens 1-0 to retain 4-point French lead

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.

  

Monaco agrees deal to sign Diarra from Real Madrid

MONACO (AP) - Monaco agreed to a deal to sign Mali midfielder Mahamadou Diarra from Real Madrid on Thursday.

Monaco said on its website that Diarra was arriving in Monaco late Thursday, and the move will be finalized once he passes his medical test. Monaco gave no financial details of the deal but said it would be a permanent transfer.

The 29-year-old Diarra made only three substitute appearances in the Spanish league for Jose Mourinho's title-chasing Madrid this season.

Diarra joined Madrid from Lyon four years ago and went on to make 90 league appearances, scoring three times.

Monaco was in 19th place in the French league and battling against relegation. It recently replaced sacked coach Guy Lacombe with Laurent Banide.

This week, Monaco signed Montpellier midfielder Gregory Lacombe on loan until the end of the season.

  

Marseille beats Bordeaux 2-1 in French league

PARIS (AP) - Andre-Pierre Gignac ended his goal drought and Brandao scored for the first time in the French league this season as defending champion Marseille beat Bordeaux 2-1 at home on Sunday.

Gignac had previously not scored in eight straight league games, failing to justify his 16.5 million transfer fee since joining from Toulouse in the offseason. Brandao had not scored a league goal since April 4, a run of 21 games for the Brazilian striker.

Bordeaux pulled a late goal back when striker Anthony Modeste scored a penalty.

Leader Lille won 2-0 at Nice on Saturday to stay one point clear of Paris Saint-Germain, Rennes and Lyon, which all also won Saturday. Marseille is three points behind Lille.

"It was a bit harder in the second half, even though we had a chance to score a third goal," Deschamps said. "But it's nice to have got a taste for winning again, as it had been a little while. We're on the right track now."

Marseille had not won in five previous league games and was under pressure after its title rivals all won.

"It wasn't an easy game against a very physical opponent," Deschamps said. "We were lucky enough to get those two goals in the first half."

Although Bordeaux enjoyed some early possession, coach Jean Tigana's team almost fell behind when defender Benoit Tremoulinas' poor clearance nearly ended up in his own net in the ninth minute, only for goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso to make a reflex save.

Marseille took the lead when Nigeria defender Taye Taiwo crossed ball from the left, and Gignac lost his marker before coolly volleying the ball through Carrasso's legs in the 23rd minute.

Gignac's poor start to the season had left many Marseille fans wondering whether coach Didier Deschamps had made a big mistake in signing him. Prior to Sunday, he had managed only one league goal.

"He will score a lot of goals for us and make the fans dream," Marseille midfielder Edouard Cisse said.

Poor communication in Bordeaux's defense led to the second goal in first-half injury time.

Souleymane Diawara's long clearance landed in the penalty area, and center half Mickael Ciani and Carrasso both left it for each other, allowing winger Mathieu Valbuena to nip in and square the ball for Brandao to slam it into the net.

"I think it was a bit harsh for us to be 2-0 down at halftime," Tigana said. "Taiwo controlled the ball a bit with his hand (for the first goal) and the second goal was a bit of a joke."

Lille has 35 points, Paris Saint-Germain, Rennes and Lyon have 34, Marseille has 32. Toulouse is sixth with 30.

But Lille has played only 19 games, one less than its rivals, and can move four points clear if it wins its game in hand at home to Nancy on Wednesday.

Bordeaux's defeat leaves it in 10th place with 27 points.

Valbuena should have put Marseille 3-0 up after an hour, when midfielder Lucho Gonzalez tackled Jaroslav Plasil and then provided Valbuena with a perfect pass, but he missed the target from close range.

With Marseille in control, Bordeaux was handed an unexpected lifeline in the 74th when Diawara knocked Moussa Maazou over in the penalty area. Modeste confidently converted the spot kick for his seventh league goal of the season.

In Saturday's other results, it was: Auxerre 1, Monaco 1; Brest 1, Caen 3; Lens 2, Saint-Etienne 1; Lyon 3, Lorient 0; Montpellier 2, Valenciennes 1; Paris Saint-Germain 2, Sochaux 1; Rennes 4, Arles 0, and Toulouse 1, Nancy 0.

  

Lille beats Nice 2-0 to stay top of French league

PARIS (AP) - Lille won 2-0 away against Nice to stay one point clear at the top of the French league on Saturday.

Paris Saint-Germain, Rennes and Lyon all won to keep the pressure on Rudi Garcia's side in the close title race.

"We were strong and did what we had to do," Lille captain Rio Mavuba said. "It's a logical result because we controlled the game from start to finish."

Lille's highly rated Belgium midfielder Eden Hazard set up the goals for striker Moussa Sow - his 15th - and Gervinho, and almost created another for Sow before coming off near the end.

Lille has played a game less than its challengers, and can move four points clear and into control of the title race if it wins it game in hand at home against Nancy on Wednesday.

"It's a bonus game for us and we will try and win it," Mavuba said. "We will try and hang in there as long as possible. It will be very hard seeing as all the other teams are winning as well."

PSG stayed in second place on goal difference after a hard-fought 2-1 home win over Sochaux, with defender Mamadou Sakho and winger Ludovic Giuly scoring after Modibo Maiga gave Sochaux the lead.

Midfielder Yacine Brahimi scored twice as Rennes thrashed last-place Arles 4-0 to stay in third spot ahead of Lyon, which easily beat Lorient 3-0 thanks to two goals from striker Bafetimbi Gomis.

Defending champion Marseille hosts Bordeaux on Sunday.

At Stade Gerland, Gomis' brace took his tally to eight league goals, while Sweden midfielder Kim Kallstrom added another with a brilliant low shot from 25 yards (meters) that flew into the bottom corner.

It's a considerable change of fortune for Gomis, who joined from bitter rival Saint-Etienne two years ago and was regularly jeered at home games until recently. This time he received a standing ovation when he was taken off late.

"We tried to put as much pressure as possible on Lorient, which has a lot of problems playing away from home," Gomis said. "Their goalkeeper had a lot of work to do tonight."

Rennes cruised to victory with midfielders Alexander Tettey and Yann M'vila getting the other goals.

In Saturday's other games, it was: Auxerre 1, Monaco 1; Brest 1, Caen 3; Lens 2, Saint-Etienne 1; Montpellier 2, Valenciennes 1, and Toulouse 1, Nancy 0.

Franck Tabanou got the winner for fifth-place Toulouse, while striker Olivier Giroud got his seventh goal of the season from the penalty spot as Montpellier came from behind to move into sixth spot.

Lens earned a vital win in its relegation battle with two goals in the last 10 minutes.

Lens remains one place off the bottom, however, because of Caen's win. Lens has 19 points, one less than 18th-place Monaco, and two behind Caen. Arles already looks certain to be relegated as it has only eight points.