Boukari returns Rennes to Ligue 1 summit
Saturday, March 5, 2011
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Goals were at a premium in Ligue 1 but one for Stade Rennais FC was enough for them to reclaim the league lead on a night when FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, SM Caen and AJ Auxerre also won 1-0.
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Goals were hard to come by in France but one was enough for Stade Rennais FC to get the better of Montpellier Hérault SC and return to the Ligue 1 summit.
Abdoulrazak Boukari's 27th-minute effort − his third goal in four matches and fifth for the club since joining from RC Lens in January – was sufficient to take Rennes three points clear of LOSC Lille Métropole, who face third-placed Olympique de Marseille in Sunday's match of the day.
Paris Saint-Germain FC, in fourth, missed the chance to move within two points of Rennes after losing to AJ Auxerre in the late game, Kamel Chafni (86) earning the hosts only their fifth top-flight win of the campaign.
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, however, are up four places to eighth after Modibo Maïga's 11th league goal of the season (64) ensured a 1-0 success against Toulouse FC, who had goalkeeper Matthieu Valverde (90) dismissed. Youssef El Arabi, meanwhile, scored in added time to bring SM Caen an eighth league victory of the campaign and condemn AS Saint-Étienne to their fourth successive reverse.
Elsewhere, FC Lorient, OGC Nice and Valenciennes FC were held to goalless home draws by AS Nancy-Lorraine, Lens and AS Monaco FC respectively.
