Bordeaux rallied from a goal down to win 3-1 at Grenoble on
Wednesday and extend its lead at the top of the French league to
eight points, with Yoan Gouffran, Marouane Chamakh and Fernando
Cavenaghi scoring in the second half.
After Bordeaux defender Benoit Tremoulinas had cleared off
his line from striker Nassim Akrour in the 44th minute, last-place
Grenoble took a surprise lead when Laurent Battles scored from 25
meters (yards) just before the interval.
But Grenoble fell apart after Jimmy Juan was sent off early
in the second half for a second yellow card.
Bordeaux now leads ahead of second-place Montpellier, which
won 1-0 at Lens to take advantage of Lille's 2-1 loss at Sochaux -
ending Lille's run of seven straight wins.
Marseille moved to within one point of third-place Lille with
a 2-1 home win over Le Mans, and Lyon secured an impressive 3-1 win
at Lorient to stay in fifth place, ahead of Monaco and Auxerre only
on goal difference.
Bordeaux has 47 points, Montpellier has 39 and Lille has 37
points. All have played 21 games.
Marseille, Lyon, Monaco and Auxerre all have 36 points, but
Marseille has played one game less.
In Wednesday's other games, it was: Lorient 1, Lyon 3;
Marseille 2, Le Mans 1; Nice 0, Auxerre 1; Paris Saint-Germain 0,
Monaco 1; and Toulouse 0, Nancy 0.
Victor Hugo Montano got Montpellier's winner in the 86th, and
Auxerre needed an injury-time goal from Irineusz Jelen.
Valenciennes won 2-0 at struggling Boulogne in Wednesday's
late game to move above PSG and into 10th place.
After Valenciennes goalkeeper Nicolas Penneteau had saved a
first-half penalty from Jeremy Blayac, Gaetan Bong gave
Valenciennes the lead early in the second half when he slid in to
score at the far post.
Fahid Ben Khalfallah ran the length of the field to add the
second as Boulogne pushed up in numbers late on and left big gaps
at the back.
The win moved Valenciennes above PSG into 10th place with 31
points, while Boulogne remains in 19th with 15 points and remains
deep in relegation trouble.
Earlier Wednesday, Bordeaux equalized when Tremoulinas pushed
forward down the left in the 52nd and his cross was headed in by
Gouffran, and Chamakh then headed in a cross from Bordeaux's
right-back Mathieu Chalme three minutes later.
Tremoulinas then set up Cavenaghi in the 83rd, and the
Argentine forward finished from just inside the penalty area.
Lille's winning run finally came to an end as coach Rudi
Garcia's team slipped up at struggling Sochaux.
Lille had scored 26 goals in the seven previous league games,
and has managed to tally at least three goals in each of its last
10 games in all competitions.
But hopes of another win soon ended after Damien Perquis and
Stephane Dalmat put Sochaux 2-0 ahead after 12 minutes, and things
got worse when Lille midfielder Yohan Cabaye missed a penalty in
the 23rd.
Lille substitute Robert Vittek pulled a goal back but the
visitors could not find the equalizing goal.
Former Liverpool striker Anthony Le Tallec put Le Mans ahead
at Stade Velodrome early on, but Marseille drew level through
Senegal striker Mamadou Niang in the 29th and he scored again with
a penalty early in the second half.
Lorient took the lead in the 28th through midfielder Pierre
Ducasse, but two goals from Sweden midfielder Kim Kallstrom and
another from Argentina Lisandro Lopez sealed the win for Lyon.
Paris Saint-Germain's miserable run continued with another
own goal, this time from goalkeeper Apoula Edel.
Last week, defender Mamadou Sakho scored into his own net
from 20 yards (meters) and this time Edel turned in Vincent
Muratori's cross from the left in the 65th even though he was under
little pressure.
On Tuesday, Saint-Etienne drew 0-0 at home to Rennes.
