Brazilian defender Cris scored in the 84th minute Sunday to give Lyon a 3-2 win over Marseille to pull within three points of its rival in the fight for second place in the French league.
Cris netted a half volley after the Marseille defense poorly cleared a free kick from Miralem Pjanic.
Third-place Lyon is seven points behind leader Lille, which edged Nancy 1-0 to extend its lead to four points.
Meanwhile, Valenciennes beat Rennes 2-0 on Sunday to move four points clear of the relegation zone. Rennes remained in fifth place but lost ground in the race for a Champions League spot.
Lyon forward Lisandro Lopez put the hosts ahead in the 25th by converting a penalty after Marseille defender Souleymane Diawara had fouled him inside the area. Argentine winger Cesar Delgado doubled the lead in the 69th, dribbling past Rod Fanni to shoot past goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.
Marseille playmaker Lucho Gonzalez pulled one back in the 70th, flicking home a low pass from Jordan Ayew, before France international Loic Remy equalized in the 78th.
In Valenciennes, Renaud Cohade cut the ball back for Algeria midfielder Foued Kadir, who scored in the 18th with a first-time shot. Valenciennes winger Gael Danic unleashed a powerful strike to make it 2-0 in the 53rd.
On Saturday, it was: Monaco 1, Paris Saint-Germain 1; Lorient 0, Toulouse 0; Bordeaux 0, Sochaux 4; Arles-Avignon 0, Saint-Etienne 1; Auxerre 1, Montpellier 0; Brest 0, Nice 0; and Caen 1, Lens 1.
Bordeaux coach Jean Tigana resigned Saturday, saying his 16-year-old daughter had been verbally abused in the stands. Fitness coach Eric Bedouet took over as interim coach on Sunday.
In Lyon, Delgado sparked the host's attack in the first half, and fired a powerful drive from the edge of the box that goalkeeper Mandanda tipped over the bar in the fourth minute.
Delgado then pulled the ball back for Lyon forward Gomis, only to see it fall to Bosnia playmaker Pjanic who missed the target from 10 yards in the 16th.
Lyon had a scare in the 11th when Marseille forward Remy found the net, but the goal was disallowed for a hand ball on Andre Ayew - although replays showed the Ghana winger only chested the ball down to feed Remy.
Marseille pressed to level after Lopez had sent Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda the wrong way to open the scoring. Winger Mathieu Valbuena hit a curling shot from 25 yards that Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris palmed away in the 35th.
Lloris protected his team's lead before halftime by parrying a sudden low drive from Andre Ayew in the 42nd.
Marseille put Lyon under pressure at the start of the second half.
Remy led a counterattack in the 53rd, but Lyon defender Anthony Reveillere rushed back to intercept his low cross for Andre Ayew.
A minute later, Marseille fullback Rod Fanni crossed to an unmarked Benoit Cheyrou, but the Marseille midfielder could not head goalward from seven yards. Lloris then made a leg save on an angled shot from Marseille defender Taye Taiwo.
Lyon punished Marseille for its poor finishing when Lopez fed Delgado on a counterattack for the second goal.
But poor judgment from Lyon substitute Jimmy Briand helped Marseille get back into the match. Briand tried to prevent a corner and unintentionally gave the ball to Marseille midfielder Jordan Ayew, who set up Gonzalez for Marseille's first goal.
Lyon suffered a blow in the 74th when Lopez picked up a hamstring injury.
Lloris saved a close-range header from Remy in the 77th but was let down by his defense the following minute on a corner kick that Marseille substitute Andre-Pierre Gignac redirected toward an unmarked Remy, who knocked the ball into the net with his thigh for the equalizer.
