Lyon suffer as Gouffran cheers Caen

SM Caen picked up an impressive 1-0 win against Olympique Lyonnais on Saturday but the French champions' lead at the top was only reduced to four points as AS Nancy-Lorraine were held to a goalless draw by Valenciennes FC.

Gouffran winner
Yoan Gouffran struck for Caen on 17 minutes after Rémi Gomis's cross was not cleared by Sébastien Squillaci. The visitors, whose coach Alain Perrin rested a number of key players ahead of the crucial UEFA Champions League visit to Rangers FC, suffered their first away defeat in Ligue 1 since August. But although Nancy dominated their home encounter with Valenciennes, the fifth-placed side frustrated the team in second.

Le Mans rise
Le Mans UC 72 are up to third and went within ten points of Lyon as they won 3-1 at RC Lens. Tulio De Melo put Le Mans ahead midway through the first half and although Aruna Dindane equalised not long before the break, Gervinho scored soon after the interval and Anthony Le Tallec struck late on to decide the game. FC Girondins de Bordeaux can move back ahead of Le Mans if they win at OGC Nice on Sunday, when strugglers AJ Auxerre and Paris Saint-Germain FC also meet.

Marseille boost
AS Saint-Etienne are into the top six after Sébastien Bassong's own goal condemned bottom side FC Metz to a 1-0 defeat. Stade Rennais FC, by contrast, fell to ninth as RC Strasbourg beat them 3-0 with an early Álvaro Santos effort and two Wason Renteria goals. FC Sochaux-Montbéliard remain second from bottom with a 2-1 loss at FC Lorient, but UEFA Champions League contenders Olympique de Marseille and Toulouse FC moved away from danger as they overcame AS Monaco FC 2-0 and LOSC Lille Métropole 1-0 respectively.