PSG pick up more points

Three second-half goals gave improving Paris Saint-Germain FC a 3-0 victory at AS Nancy-Lorraine, the highlight of a packed Ligue 1 programme on Saturday.

Pauleta goal
PSG were made to wait for the win with 70 minutes on the clock before Pauleta converted a rebound after seeing his penalty saved. Pierre-Alain Frau made it 2-0 in the 86th minute and new recruit Marcelo Gallardo added a third for PSG, who are up to 15th having also won 4-2 last week against AS Monaco FC. The Paris club were 2-0 winners against AEK Athens FC in the UEFA Cup Round of 32 on Wednesday.

Rennes rise
Elsewhere, striker John Utaka scored twice to lead Stade Rennais FC to a 3-1 victory at AS Saint-Etienne FC, who suffered their third consecutive home league defeat. The visitors rose from 12th to eighth in the table, level with St-Etienne on 36 points from 25 games. FC Sochaux-Montbéliard jumped to fourth with a 2-0 home win over Le Mans UC 72, Alvaro Santos scoring from the penalty spot before Hassan Yebda put through his own net.

Sedan denied
Toulouse FC are fifth after a 1-0 victory at FC Lorient while OGC Nice won 1-0 at Valenciennes FC and ES Troyes Aube Champagne achieved the same result at home against FC Girondins de Bordeaux to give both teams a lift in their relegation battles. Elsewhere, CS Sedan-Ardennes were held 2-2 at home by AJ Auxerre, having been a minute from a victory that would have lifted them off the bottom and a point ahead of FC Nantes Atlantique, who play Olympique de Marseille tomorrow - the same day that second-placed RC Lens go to Monaco.