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  • Wednesday, 13 May 2009

    Still locked up at the top: Ligue 1 reviews

    Lyon 3-0 Nantes
    Nancy 2-2 Lorient
    Auxerre 2-0 Grenoble
    Nice 0-2 Marseille
    Le Havre 2-4 St Etienne
    Toulouse 0-0 Lille
    Sochaux 3-0 Monaco
    Rennes 1-0 Caen
    Le Mans 0-1 PSG
    Valenciennes 1-2 Bordeaux

    Le Havre are down in all but name. Twelve points from safety with three games to go and a massively inferior goal difference, it's back to Ligue 2 with them for next season. They needed to win the relegation battle with St Etienne to remain in with a chance, but went down heavily despite leading into the break. Aruajo Ilan put Les Verts ahead early on before Mamadou Diallo and Massamba Sambou put Le Havre, for whom Vikash Dhorasoo's presidency bid failed, ahead on 20 minutes. After the break, they couldn't hold back the green tide and Bayal Sall, Kevin Mirallas and, in the last minute, Emmanuel Riviere sealed a win that takes St Etienne out of the bottom three. Caen slip back into the danger zone as Petter Hansson's goal comdemned them to a 1-0 defeat to local rivals Rennes while Nantes are also deep in trouble after losing heavily at Lyon. Jean Makoun got two and Anthony Mounier the other as Lyon just about maintain a realistic ambition of another title.

    Marseille and Bordeaux still lead the way, now separated by two goals worth of difference. Mamadou Niang and, late on, Brandao eased Marseille to a straightforward win over Nice while Bordeaux left it late against Valenciennes who aren't safe yet. VA finished with nine men, but were ahead early through a Gael Danic penalty. Fernando Menegazzo drew Bordeaux level before Yoann Gourcuff, inevitably, put them ahead seven minutes from time. In the last five minutes, both Siaka Tiené and Luigi Pieroni were sent off as VA imploded. PSG are in the Europa League place following their win at Le Mans courtesy of that rarest of rarity, a Mateja Kezman winner. Mathemetically, if not realistically, they could still win the title, but Toulouse and Lille, who drew 0-0, are out of it.

    Sochaux are still in bother, but eased immediate woes with an impressive display against Monaco. Marvin Martin put them in front 20 minutes in and a Franois Modesto own goal doubled the lead after the break. Vaclav Sverkos, a very hot property that Sochaux are desperate to hang onto, wrapped it up with a late third. Nancy blew a two-goal lead to draw with Lorient. A Rafik Saifi own goal put them ahead and they defied a numerical disadvantage after Abdeslam Ouaddou was sent off to go two up through Joel Saimi. Two Kevin Gameiro second half goals pegged them back. Ireneusz Jelen continued his impressive form with both goals for Auxerre as they saw off Grenoble 2-0 at the Abbé-Deschamps.

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