Lyon into third, St Etienne down Monaco

Lyon, struggling in the relegation zone back in September, moved up to third on Sunday on the back of a 2-0 home defeat of Toulouse.

Lisandro Lopez, whose injury time winner earned the seven-time former champions a 2-1 win over Montpellier in their last league run out, opened the scoring in the fifth minute.

The in-form Argentinian bagged his fourth goal in a week when pouncing on Toulouse keeper Mathieu Valverde’s failed clearance after Michel Bastos’ acute angled shot from the left.

Half an hour later Bafetimbi Gomis burst through the Toulouse defence to bag Lyon’s second to seal a convincing win which lifted Claude Puel’s side on to 29 points, one behind Paris Saint Germain and two behind leaders Lille.

This was Lyon’s seventh win since the painful derby loss to Saint Etienne in late September and their tenth game without defeat.

Saint Etienne came away from their trip to Monaco as the 2-0 winners. Laurent Battles sent the visitors into the break in front, with Bakary Sako adding the second in the 70th minute.

On the strength of this win Saint Etienne moved up five places into seventh, while Monaco are living dangerously, only avoiding relegation territory on goal difference.

Rennes, who can end the weekend in third with victory, are at Bordeaux in Sunday’s late game.

Saturday’s action saw Lille, who had scaled the summit last weekend by demolishing Lorient, maintain top spot but only after an injury time goal downed bottom club Arles-Avignon.

With second-placed PSG keeping the wheels on their title push with a 2-1 win at Valenciennes, Lille were in danger of seeing their capital rivals overtake them.

But after minnows Arles had manfully held their own Tulio De Melo popped up with a header in the 93rd minute to earn Lille their eighth win of the campaign.

PSG had Nene to thank for their win at Valenciennes, the Brazilian striker putting the visitors into the lead shortly after the break. Vincent Aboubakar levelled for Valenciennes in the 82nd minute with Nene providing the perfect response with his decisive second six minutes from time.

This was PSG’s tenth game without defeat and it further advertised their claims as worthy title contenders in this most open of all title races.

Elsewhere Lorient picked themselves up after last weekend’s 6-3 thrashing by Lille to register a 3-0 home win over Lens while Nancy beat Sochaux 1-0.

The matches between Caen and Nice and Brest against Montpellier ended in goalless draws.

Marseille failed to follow up their midweek win over Chelsea in the Champions League, Didier Deschamps’ champions being held to a 1-1 draw by Auxerre, finishing the game a man down after Stephane Mbia’s first half sending off.

That left them in fourth, two points shy of Lyon.