Lille put their Champions League exit behind them with a 2-0 win over Dijon on Sunday which consolidated third place in the French first division, two points behind joint-leaders Montpellier and Paris Saint Germain.
Senegalese striker Moussa Sow grabbed his sixth goal of the season in the 16th minute with a close-ranger header before Belgian star Eden Hazard also took his tally to six in the 58th minute.
Hazard's goal was the result of a neat interchange of passes with English import Joe Cole which carved open the Dijon defence.
Also early on Sunday, Auxerre eased their relegation fears with a 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Nice, a win sparked by Kenyan international Dennis Oliech nodding his seventh league goal of the season from a cross by Israeli teammate Ben Sahar.
Later Sunday, Lyon, fresh from their miraculous 7-1 Champions League win in Zagreb in midweek, are at Lorient where a win will keep them in fourth spot, two points behind Lille.
French international striker Kevin Gameiro scored his first goal for two months as Paris Saint Germain squeezed out a 1-0 win at Sochaux to move into a share of the lead.
PSG stay in second place on 36 points but only behind pace-setters Montpellier, who lost 1-0 at Valenciennes, on goal difference.
Gameiro struck in the 18th minute, slotting the ball past goalkeeper Teddy Richert to secure the three points and ease the pressure on coach Antoine Kombouare who has now overseen two straight league wins.
It was the striker's first goal in the the league since October 16.
Gameiro, who now has nine goals for the season, came close to a second on the night just before the hour mark when he latched on to a smart backheel from Argentine star Javier Pastore but the striker's drive sailed over the crossbar.
"It was a great evening and it was a relief to score as there wasn't a lot of space," said Gameiro.
"Everyone played a great match, when we play like that we are very strong with a great spirit."
Montpellier stay top despite their defeat at struggling Valenciennes, the team's first loss in the league since September 24.
The only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time when Algerian midfielder Foued Kadir found the target after a David Ducourtioux free-kick was only parried by Montpellier goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren.
"It was our worst match of the season," said Montpellier's Olivier Giroud, the top scorer in the league this season.
"Valenciennes are fighting for their lives and their coach said it was like a cup game for them."
Later Saturday, Marseille, buoyed by their qualification for the Champions League last 16 in midweek, were held to a 0-0 draw by Bordeaux and stayed in eighth place in the table.
"It was a difficult match," said Marseille coach Didier Deschamps. "We faced an opponent which defended very well, very deep."
Source: AFP
