Kalou keeps Lille on the up with Bastia brace

LOSC Lille ensured they remain in the Ligue 1 title race as a pair of Salomon Kalou goals helped them come from behind to edge SC Bastia 2-1.

The three points kept Les Dogues within four of leaders Paris Saint-Germain, who host LOSC next Sunday. All three goals arrived in the first 22 minutes at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, with the visiting Corsicans going ahead through Ludovic Genest's 25-metre volley three minutes in. Ivory Coast forward Kalou drilled in the equaliser with his left on 17 minutes and shortly after repeated the trick to seal the victory for the northerners.

The win lifted LOSC nine points clear of fourth-ranked FC Girondins de Bordeaux, who also posted a 2-1 success at home to Valenciennes FC. Tongo Hamed Doumbia put the visitors in front in the 55th minute but Jussiê equalised from the spot three minutes later. Eloge Enza Yamissi missed a penalty of his own and Valenciennes paid the price as Nicolas Maurice-Belay got the winner.

In Sunday's late game, Olympique Lyonnais moved into tenth spot after drawing 2-2 with sixth-placed Olympique de Marseille at Stade de Gerland. Although Alexandre Lacazette and Bafétimbi Gomis carved out a two-goal advantage for OL, André-Pierre Gignac's reply in first-half stoppage time reduced the arrears and Henri Bedimo's 79th-minute own goal earned a point for Marseille.