PSG stay top with chasers set back

Paris Saint-Germain maintained their grip at the top of the Ligue 1 summit today despite missing a chance to pull further clear of their rivals Montpellier, Lille and Lyon. Antoine Kombouare's side had been bidding for a club record seventh straight league victory which would have given them a five-point lead on second-placed Montpellier, who were held 1-1 at Saint-Etienne. Instead they were made to settle for a 1-1 draw at Bordeaux, leaving them just three points clear of Montpellier with reigning champions Lille in third after a 1-1 draw at home yesterday with Evian. The Parisians could, however, celebrate finding the net for the first time in six years at the Chaban-Delmas stadium when midfielder Mohamed Sissoko opened for the visitors after ten minutes. Their joy was shortlived, though, when Yoan Gouffran scored his fourth goal in three games to give Bordeaux the equaliser three minutes later. Earlier, Lyon's hopes of ending a three-year barren run in the title race took a knock after they went down 2-1 at Sochaux to leave the winners seven points off PSG in fourth. Lyon, who won their first ever title a decade ago, shot themselves in the foot as Anthony Reveillere put through his own net under pressure in a goalmouth melee after just ten minutes. A Bafetimbi Gomis cross allowed Alexandre Lacazette to nod in the equaliser just four minutes later. However, two minutes before the break Lyon again fell behind as Aly Cissokho fouled Ryad Boudebouz, who dusted himself off to score from the spot. The visitors were unable to find a second equaliser as Sochaux kept them at bay after the break to hand Lyon their fourth defeat of the season and deepen the gloom after their morale-sapping midweek loss to Real Madrid which leaves the French teetering on the brink of a UEFA Champions League exit. Lille frustrated with draw Lyon's loss was a crumb of comfort for Lille as the defending champions, who also struggling in the Champions League where they are winless, were a pale shadow of their best selves in yesterday's stalemate with Evian. English midfielder Joe Cole had a goal chalked off after Saber Khelifa had stunned the hosts with a fourth-minute opener for the visitors, who only three years ago were a fourth tier outfit. The northerners rescued a point, though, thanks to substitute Benoit Pedretti's fortuitous free-kick. But even with the draw, coach Rudi Garcia was not happy as he slammed his team's lack of ruthlessness following their sixth draw to date. "We have dropped two points tonight and we will have to get them back elsewhere," Garcia said. Montpellier continue to trail PSG after their own failure to see off Saint-Etienne, for whom Romanian Banel Nicolita opened on 31 minutes before Joris Marveaux levelled on the hour. Marseille find new rhythm Marseille are slowly moving past their sluggish start to the campaign as they made it three wins on the trot, securing a 2-0 win at home over Nice to move up to eighth place. Didier Deschamps' side huffed and puffed, but did enough with a goal from Jordan Ayew and an injury-time Loic Remy penalty. "I am pleased with the attitude and the result. We have much better rhythm now than we had at the start of the season," said Deschamps. Auxerre, meanwhile, ended their run of four consecutive defeats with a 2-0 win at home against Toulouse thanks to goals from Yaya Sanogo, who acrobatically scored two minutes after coming on in the second half, and Roy Contout. Toulouse dropped from fifth to sixth spot, while Auxerre moved up to 12th place.