LOSC Lille Métropole remain on the fringes of the Ligue 1 title race as they won 2-1 against Le Mans UC 72 but champions FC Girondins de Bordeaux are struggling to even earn European qualification after losing at FC Lorient.

With leaders Olympique de Marseille and AJ Auxerre not in action until Sunday, Lille took their cue to move within seven points off the summit. Túlio De Melo (13) put Les Dogues on a sound footing but Modibo Maïga levelled ten minutes after the resumption.

The visitors restored their superiority, however, and were rewarded 11 minutes from time when Gervinho was felled and Yohan Cabaye converted from the penalty spot. The victory enabled Lille to climb to third after Montpellier Hérault SC were held to a goalless draw at AS Nancy-Lorraine.

Champions Bordeaux could have ended the day level on points with the fourth-placed side, but above them on goal difference had they emerged unscathed but a fourth defeat in five further jeopardised their European aspirations. An entertaining encounter was decided when Kevin Gameiro burst away from Ludovic Sané and drove past Ulrich Ramé.

Elsewhere, second-bottom US Boulogne closed to within a point of Le Mans, but nine from safety, with a 3-0 success at ten-man FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, OGC Nice were 2-1 winners against relegated Grenoble Foot 38 and it finished 1-1 between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Stade Rennais FC.