Ligue 1 title hopefuls back in the groove
Sunday, January 16, 2011
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LOSC Lille Métropole ended the weekend as they started it – a point clear of the chasing pack − after the top four all won on their return to league action following the winter break.
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LOSC Lille Métropole resumed their Ligue 1 campaign with a 2-0 success at OGC Nice that kept them a point clear of their pursuers after Paris Saint-Germain FC, Stade Rennais FC and Olympique Lyonnais all won.
Back in championship action following the winter break, Lille demonstrated their title potential with a fourth away victory of the season, Gervinho back-heeling in Eden Hazard's cross to get them rolling a minute before the break. The same player then fed Ligue 1's leading scorer Moussa Sow for his 15th goal this term five minutes after the restart.
It proved a crucial win given results elsewhere, with PSG needing strikes from Mamadou Sakho (16) and Ludovic Giuly (23) to overcome FC Sochaux-Montbéliard 2-1 after Modibo Maiga (14) had opened the scoring in Paris. As for Rennes, they trail the capital club on goals scored following their 4-0 home defeat of bottom side AC Arles-Avignon, who had Bakary Soro dismissed on 70 minutes.
On the same points tally, Lyon beat visitors FC Lorient 3-0, but – like PSG and Rennes – they have contested one game more than Lille. Titleholders Olympique de Marseille, meanwhile, are up to fifth, two points further behind, having won 2-1 against FC Girondins de Bordeaux in Sunday's only fixture.
Toulouse FC enjoyed the return to league action as well as they put their Coupe de France exit to third-tier Paris FC behind them by edging AS Nancy-Lorraine 1-0, and sixth-placed Montpellier Hérault SC also climbed the standings as they defeated Valenciennes FC 2-1. Meanwhile, AS Monaco FC − with Laurent Banide beginning his second spell in charge − slipped into the relegation zone after a 1-1 draw at AJ Auxerre and ten-man SM Caen moved in the opposite direction thanks to a 3-1 win at Stade Brestois 29.
