Lille close in on European goal

By Chris Burke

LOSC Lille Métropole strengthened their hold on a UEFA Champions League place with a last-gasp 2-1 win over northern neighbours RC Lens on Saturday, while closest rivals Olympique de Marseille crashed 2-1 at home to inspired AC Ajaccio.

Late winner
With the race for a top-three finish hotting up, home-side Lille looked for a long time like dropping crucial points. In-form striker Matt Moussilou fired them ahead after 39 minutes, but Jérôme Leroy pulled Lens level moments later, and the score seemed unlikely to change until Leroy handled the ball in the area a minute from the end. Charles Itandje kept out Philippe Brunel's penalty, but Nicolas Fauvergue smashed in the rebound to move second-placed Lille three points clear of Marseille.

Reinvigorated Ajaccio
A record of one victory in the last seven games is threatening to derail Marseille's European dreams, and they became the latest victims of reinvigorated Ajaccio. Led by former Marseille coach Rolland Courbis, the Corsican side made it three wins on the trot with goals from Yohan Demont and Marcelo Edson. Habib Beye hit a consolation for the home side, but Ajaccio held on to climb up to 16th.

Monaco falter
A win for AS Monaco FC would have taken them into third, and Ernesto Chevantón handed them an early lead away to FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. Ilan netted an equaliser at the end of the first-half, though, and Didier Deschamps' side were dealt another blow when Emmanuel Adebayor was sent off. Fifth-placed Stade Rennais FC also endured a frustrating evening, drawing 2-2 at home to AS Saint-Etienne despite Alexander Frei scoring his 16th goal of the season.

André double
In the battle for survival, Pierre-Yves André hit a double for SC Bastia in a vital 2-1 success at home to Toulouse FC, and Sébastien Mazure registered the only goal for SM Caen away to OGC Nice. That result that drags Nice down to 17th, just five points clear of today's opponents, while Bastia remain 19th - six points ahead of bottom-club FC Istres, who lost 2-1 away to FC Metz.

Nantes joy
Elsewhere, FC Nantes Atlantique took themselves further away from danger with a 2-0 win away to neighbours FC Girondins de Bordeaux. On Sunday, Olympique Lyonnais will look to restore their 14-point lead at the top when they host Paris Saint-Germain FC, and sixth-placed AJ Auxerre entertain RC Strasbourg.