Ligue 1 wrap: Monaco upset Lille, PSG edge Caen

Monaco bolstered their Ligue 1 survival chances and dented Lille’s title hopes in the process with a 1-0 win at the Stade Louis II.

South Korean midfielder Chu-young Park scored the only goal after 11 minutes of a spiteful game, with six Monaco players find their names in referee Olivier Thual’s book and Lille’s Ivory Coast striker Gervinho sent off after 32 minutes.

Gervinho was sent off for pushing Monaco defender Adriano, in retaliation for a heavy challenge from the Brazilian that earned him a caution.

Monaco’s win on Saturday sees them climb out of the relegation zone and into 14th place, although they are still just one point clear of the drop zone and among a logjam of five teams on 35 points.

Lille, meanwhile, could see their lead at the top cut to a solitary point should Marseille beat Toulouse on Sunday.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain left Caen just a point clear of the drop zone with a 2-1 win away from home.

Christophe Jallet opened the scoring for the visitors after 12 minutes and Clement Chantome doubled their advantage at the 68-minute mark, before Romain Hamouma pulled a goal back in stoppage time for Caen.

The win moved PSG to within a point of fourth-placed Lyon as the race for the all-important Europa League spot continues, with Lyon playing host to Lens on Sunday.

Auxerre dropped to 18th position after they were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Saint-Etienne.

Emmanuel Riviere gave the visitors the lead on 26 minutes, but Dennis Oliech levelled proceedings two minutes before half-time.

Pierre Aubameyang restored Saint-Etienne’s lead after 70 minutes, but a penalty from Dariusz Dudka 10 minutes later helped Auxerre claim what could be a crucial point as the relegation battle intensifies.

Bottom-side Arles also claimed a point through their 0-0 draw at Bordeaux but appear a certainty to face the drop, while mid-table sides Lorient and Sochaux played out a 1-1 draw at the Stade du Moustoir.

Boukary Drame fired Sochaux ahead on the 25-minute mark, but Jeremy Morel hit back for the hosts 10 minutes later.

Valenciennes joined the traffic jam on 35 points when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home against Nancy, in a game that saw both sides finish with 10 men.

Gregory Pujol gave Valenciennes the lead two minutes before half-time, just three minutes after his side had Serbian defender Milan Bisevac sent off for a second bookable offence.

Numbers were evened up on the hour mark when Nancy defender Michael Basser Chretien was also given his marching orders for a second caution, and substitute Marama Vahirua scored a stoppage-time equaliser to claim a point for the visitors.