Win over Toulouse puts Lille within title range

AP - Defending champion Lille beat Toulouse 2-1 Sunday to get back into the French league title race by pulling within four points of leader Montpellier and Paris Saint-Germain.

Belgium midfielder Eden Hazard converted a penalty kick in the 12th minute after Toulouse defender Daniel Congre fouled him.

Hazard has now scored five goals in his last five matches - and 14 goals this season.

Lille forward Dimitri Payet doubled the lead by taking a pass from Hazard to score from close range in the 31st.

Toulouse fullback Serge Aurier pulled one back by diverting home a shot from Adrien Regattin in the 60th.

Lille remained in third place with matches against PSG later this month and Montpellier in May.

Toulouse lost midfielder Francois Sirieix, who was sent off in the 82nd for a foul on Lille striker Nolan Roux.

Meanwhile, Caen dropped into the relegation zone after splitting the points with Ajaccio in a goalless draw.

Pierre-Alain Frau thought he opened the scoring for the hosts with a successful penalty in the 40th following a foul from Ajaccio centerback Carl Medjani on Thomas Heurtaux. But the referee ordered the penalty to be taken again as some Caen players entered the area before the kick.

Frau’s second attempt bounced off the bar.

Lyon played Rennes later Sunday.

On Saturday, it was: Nancy 2, Paris Saint-Germain 1; Auxerre 2, Valenciennes 0; Saint-Etienne 2, Nice 3; Bordeaux 1, Dijon 1; Lorient 0, Evian 1; and Sochaux 2, Brest 1.

Montpellier kept the top spot without even playing this weekend. Its match with Marseille was postponed to April 11 to help Marseille prepare for its Champions League tie against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.