UPDATE 1-Soccer-Lyon stay two points clear with a match left

Sat May 10, 2008 10:43pm BST
 
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By Patrick Vignal

PARIS, May 10 (Reuters) - Olympique Lyon stayed two points clear at the top of Ligue 1 with one match left after a 1-0 home win over Nancy on Saturday.

Nancy's Brazilian defender Andre Luiz deflected the ball into his own net on the hour to put Lyon on 76 points from 37 games, two points ahead of second-placed Girondins Bordeaux, who beat Sochaux 2-0 to set up a thrilling finale.

"It will be tough because Lyon are a top side and they know how to hold on to a lead but we'll give it our very best," Bordeaux chairman Jean-Louis Triaud told reporters. "Everything can still happen."

Lyon, chasing a seventh consecutive title, needed a win and no better than a draw by Bordeaux to be crowned on Saturday. They will visit lowly AJ Auxerre next Saturday while Bordeaux travel to strugglers Racing Lens.

Brazilian midfielder Fernando opened the scoring for Bordeaux from a corner just before the break and Morocco striker Marouane Chamakh wrapped it up with a diving header on 58 minutes.

Bordeaux, certain of at least a top-two finish to qualify directly for the Champions League, are 14 points ahead of third-placed Nancy, fighting to win a spot in the qualifying round of European club soccer's showcase event.

At the other end, Racing Strasbourg will follow bottom side Metz down to the second division after a 4-1 home defeat by Caen while Paris St Germain moved out of the relegation zone with a 1-1 home draw with St Etienne.  Continued...

 

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