Lyon find no way through
Saturday, September 18, 2004
Article summary
SC Bastia sit top of Ligue 1 after frustrating Olympique Lyonnais in a goalless draw at the Stade Gerland.
Article body
Alphabetical order
Bastia took a side ravaged by injuries to Lyon and the French champions dominated possession throughout but proved incapable of beating Nicolas Penneteau in the visitors' goal. The draw is Bastia's third on their travels and they go top with 12 points, ahead of Lyon on alphabetical order alone, as both have the same goal difference and goals scored.
Toulouse beaten
Toulouse FC missed the chance to stay level with the leaders, suffering their first defeat of the season at Olympique de Marseille through a 34th-minute strike from Péguy Luyindula. Marseille had Fabien Barthez to thank after a string of excellent saves kept Erick Mombaert's team at bay, and the result lifts Marseille four places up the table into sixth. Both sides finished the match with ten men after Marseille's Johnny Ecker and Toulouse's Da Silva Eduardo were sent off.
Carrière levels for Lens
The worst defence in the league played host to the best when RC Lens travelled to RC Strasbourg. It was some surprise then when Yacine Abdessadki opened the scoring for the home side in the eleventh minute. Daniel Cousin equalised for Lens but Ulrich Le Pen restored Strasbourg's lead and it remained 2-1 until the dying minutes when captain Eric Carrière fired Lens level again.
Bordeaux held
Another late goal, this time from Wadir Lucas Pereira, salvaged a point for bottom club AC Ajaccio against AS Saint-Etienne, for whom Pascal Feindouno was on target. FC Nantes Atlantique picked up their first win as Nicolas Savinaud's goal secured a 1-0 victory over FC Istres, while FC Girondins de Bordeaux - who lost Kalu Uche to a red card - surrendered their perfect home record in a 0-0 draw with Stade Rennais FC.