Sochaux success lifts LOSC to third

LOSC Lille moved third, into Ligue 1's last UEFA Champions League berth, with a 2-0 defeat of struggling FC Sochaux-Montbélliard.

After taking one point from their last four fixtures, LOSC got back on track with a win over their 19th-placed opponents. Divock Origi headed in the opener as early as the fourth minute and Les Dogues struck late on through Ryan Mendes to seal the three points. 

Five points further back, but now up to fifth, are Olympique de Marseille who posted a 3-0 win against SC Bastia. Dimitri Payet bundled in a volley after a give-and-go move, and the ex-LOSC forward then curled in from 25 metres to double the advantage. In-form André-Pierre Gignac's 11th goal in his last 11 outings arrived as he pounced to lash in a rebound. OM could move fourth next weekend by beating and leapfrogging AS Saint-Étienne, who were held to a goalless draw by Toulouse FC on Friday night.

Meanwhile, bottom club AC Ajaccio beat Stade Rennais FC 3-1 to earn only their second win this term and two-goal scorer last week, Rémy Cabella, hit the equaliser as Montpellier Hérault SC drew with Évian Thonon Gaillard FC.

Valenciennes FC are just two points shy of safety after an 88th-minute winner sank OGC Nice, and a three-minute second-half salvo earned Stade de Reims a 2-1 comeback win against EA Guingamp.