Ligue 1: Strugglers Caen and Bastia play out 1-1 draw

Ligue 1 strugglers Caen and Bastia could not be separated as the two bottom sides in the league standings drew 1-1 on Saturday.

Francois Kamano opened the scoring for Bastia in the 20th minute and the Corsican side seemed to be on course for their fifth victory of the season until Julien Feret equalised midway through the second half.

The result left Caen still rooted to the bottom of the table, with Bastia one place and three points to the good.

Caen had the first chance of the match in the seventh minute when Jose Saez put a 20-yard volley inches wide of the left post.

However, then the impetus swung Bastia's way, with Sebastien Squillaci hitting the post with a header from Ryad Boudebouz's 20th minute free-kick before Kamano found the opening goal.

The striker was on hand to prod home the rebound after Guillaume Gillet's header was punched clear by Remy Vercoutre moments after Squillaci hit the woodwork.

Four minutes late Caen went close to finding the leveller when Mathieu Duhamel, Herve Bazile and N'Golo Kante linked up in midfield, with the latter firing just inches wide.

Bastia held on to their slender lead going into the break and Kamano went close to adding his second a minute into the second half, only for his shot to be too soft and easily saved by Vercoutre.

Jose Saez was denied by Bastia keeper Alphonse Areola at the other end in the 52nd minute before Vercoutre kept out Squillaci's close range shot 10 minutes later.

However, Caen did find their way through Bastia's defence in the 73rd minute thanks to Feret. Lenny Nangis raced down the left and fired in a cross which was poorly cleared by Gillet and landed at the feet of Feret, whose strong shot beat Areola.

That was how the scoreline remained as neither side could conjure up a winning goal which would help in their plight to climb away from the foot of the table.