Lille lifted by Chamakh faux pas

Debut strike
Lyon's new signing Milan Baroš scored on his first league start but the French champions' sluggish post-Christmas campaign continued as they failed to pick up three points against struggling OGC Nice. Bakary Koné gave the visitors a surprise lead after 36 minutes and although Baroš, who joined from Aston Villa FC this month, equalised, Lyon were unable to find a winning goal.

Chamakh misfortune
Second-placed Marseille failed to make any inroads into Lyon's 14-point lead when they lost 2-0 at Le Mans UC 72 in Saturday's early game. James Franchone broke the deadlock on 38 minutes before Brazilian striker Grafite wrapped up the match eight minutes from time. Lille, on the other hand, did take advantage of the leaders' draw although they had Bordeaux's Chamakh to thank for three points that lifted them into second. The Moroccan striker scored at the wrong end to give the UEFA Champions League contenders a 1-0 win that takes them above both Marseille and RC Lens.

Nantes slip
FC Nantes Atlantique's league form continues to disappoint. Their 2-0 defeat against FC Lorient, for whom striker André-Pierre Gignac (22 minutes) and Fabrice Abriel (54) were on target, left them in the bottom three as both ES Troyes Aube Champagne, who held Toulouse FC 1-1, and Paris Saint-Germain FC, who shared a goalless draw with FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, picked up points. Jan Koller helped AS Monaco FC's bid to avoid relegation with the only goal at bottom club CS Sedan-Ardennes while Stade Rennais FC were 1-0 winners against Valenciennes FC thanks to Romain Danze's seventh-minute strike.