Lyon miss out on return to summit

Lyon missed out on the chance to return to top spot, at least overnight, in the French league after a disappointing goalless draw Saturday at Boulogne.

With reigning champions and leaders Bordeaux hosting surprise title aspirants Montpellier on Sunday the way was clear for Lyon, a record seven titles in a row between 2002 and 2008, to reach the summit with a win.

But instead Claude Puel’s men fired blanks against a Boulogne side standing second from bottom of the table with only three wins all season.

Boulogne skipper Damien Marcq almost embarrassed the visitors who were too good for Real Madrid in their Champions League round of 16 first leg last month on 15 minutes, a snapshot hitting the post with Lyon keeper Hugo Lloris beaten.

At the other end Mathieu Bodmer send a header over the bar before Boulogne threatened again, a Juan Gonzalo Lorca freekick forcing Lloris to get down smartly to smother.

Bafetembi Gomis and Bodmer eked out but then spurned half-chances as Lyon laboured to find any rhythm and even the entrance from the bench of fan favourite Lisandro Lopez did not have the desired effect.

The dismissal of Boulogne’s Yoann Lachor in the final moments for a second bookable offence came too late for Lyon’s numerical advantage to have any effect as they moved onto 50 points from 28 games.

Bordeaux have 51 from just 24 with Montpellier level on points but having played two games more.

Lyon’s loss of two points means Marseille can leapfrog them into third spot with a home win over Lorient on Sunday at the Stade Velodrome.

Elsewhere Saturday, crisis-hit Paris Saint-Germain could only draw 1-1 with struggling Lens as the capital club, down in 14th spot, failed to bounce back from their 3-0 thrashing at the hands of long-time rivals Marseille last weekend.

Auxerre moved into the top five, provisionally level on points with Marseille after an Ireneusz Jelen goal brought a 1-0 home win over Valenciennes while Monaco saw their hopes of a Europa League place recede after a 1-0 loss at Rennes.