Montpellier took a big step toward winning the French league title for the first time on Monday, beating Rennes 2-0 to move three points ahead of second-place Paris Saint-Germain.
Montpellier needs a win and a draw from the remaining two matches to guarantee finishing above big-spending PSG, which hasn't won the league since 1994. A draw for Montpellier will be enough if PSG loses this weekend, or a win if PSG draws. If both win their games, the league will go down to the last day and could end up being settled on goal difference.
Striker Souleymane Camara atoned for an injury-time penalty miss against Evian last week by putting Montpellier ahead in the 26th minute. An own goal from Rennes goalkeeper Benoit Costil made it 2-0 early in the second half.
Defending champion Lille also won Monday, beating Caen 3-0 to move within two points of PSG.
Montpellier faces Lille at home and PSG takes on Rennes in Sunday's games.
Montpellier, which was missing key midfielder Younes Belhanda through suspension, was up against it early on. Rennes almost took the lead in the 13th minute when Jonathan Pitroipa hit the crossbar with a bicycle kick.
But Camara had missed a penalty with the last kick of the game in the 2-2 home draw with Evian, but he made up for that with his ninth league goal of the season.
Rennes defender John Boye was at fault for the goal, failing to properly tackle striker Olivier Giroud and inadvertently poking the ball to Camara, who swept the it into the net from near the penalty spot.
Montpellier went 2-0 up in the 52nd when winger Remy Cabella's strike hit the post, bounced off the back of Costil and went in.
