football - Olympique Lyonnais

Lyon cruise ahead as Toulouse move into second

Monday 29 September 2008

Victory at Valenciennes on Sunday helped Toulouse move into a surprising second place in France's Ligue 1, five points behind leaders Lyon, who beat Nancy on Saturday. Marseille dropped into third after a frustrating draw at Le Mans.

Toulouse extended their surprise start to the season by winning 1-0 at Valenciennes courtesy of a goal in added time by Andre-Pierre Gignac to move into second place in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

A Gignac drive from 20 metres deflected into his own net by Valenciennes keeper Nicolas Penneteau just before the final whistle put Toulouse, who have not won a significant title since 1957, behind leaders Olympique Lyon.

Seven-times champions Lyon, who beat Nancy 2-1 on Saturday, top the table on 19 points from seven games, with Toulouse now five points back and Olympique Marseille in third, a further point adrift.

Last season's runners-up Girondins Bordeaux could manage only a 1-1 home draw with St Etienne and are in seventh place, eight points off the pace.

St Etienne, lying 15th, moved in front through winger Dimitri Payet, who twisted his way past Argentine defender Diego Placente to strike from inside the box on 27 minutes.

Bordeaux were awarded a penalty just before the break after Fernando Cavenaghi was fouled in the box but the Argentine forward rattled the crossbar from the spot. Cavenaghi made amends by equalising with a header from a free kick on 57 minutes.

Monaco dropped to 13th with an embarrassing performance in a 2-0 home defeat by Lille.

The team from the principality, who had lost 1-0 at home to Paris St Germain in a French League Cup tie midweek, fell behind 68 minutes into a dull game when Lille midfielder Yohan Cabaye exploited a defensive blunder to open the scoring.

Midfielder Ludovic Obraniak doubled the visitors' advantage in the closing stages to help lift northerners Lille up to eighth.