Marseille lose ground in title race

Marseille, seeking a first championship success in 19 years, lost ground in the French title race on Sunday after Lorient held them to a 1-1 stalemate at the Stade Velodrome.

Senegalese international Mamadou Niang notched his 15th goal of the season two minutes before the break to put the Mediterranean side into a deserved lead.

But instead of the floodgates opening, that was as good as it got for the hosts as Laurent Koscielny nudged in from close range for midtable Brittany side Lorient midway through the second half.

The solitary point left Marseille in fourth place with 49 points from 26 games, one behind Lyon – who have played a game more – and two behind leaders Bordeaux – who have played two games less.

Bordeaux were meeting Montpellier, with whom they are level on points though the defending champions have played two games less, in the late game.

Marseille’s slothful showing was echoed by Lyon on Saturday as the former champions and Champions League survivors could only eke out a disappointing goalless draw at relegation-haunted Boulogne.

Lyon, who won a record seven titles in a row between 2002 and 2008, could have reached the summit with a win.

“We were too passive in the first half to expect anything better,” groaned Lyon coach Claude Puel, who would not be drawn on whether his players had their minds focused on their midweek return with Real Madrid, despatched 1-0 in France in their Champions League round of 16 first leg.

Also on Sunday, tailenders Grenoble parted 1-1 at home to Le Mans to leave both sides entrenched in the drop zone.