Lyon cruise to win

LYON brought themselves firmly back into the Championnat title picture with an authoritative 4-1 win over Sochaux.

Paul Le Guen`s men have been displaying inconsistent form of late, but handed out a lesson in football to fellow high-flyers Sochaux.

Pegguy Luyindula (pictured) made Lyon`s early pressure tell with the opener on 27 minutes, converting from a corner.

The second came on 38 minutes courtesy of a superb header from Juninho Pernambucano.

The game was effectively killed off shortly before the interval, when Sochaux skipper Nisa Saveljic deflected a Luyindula shot beyond his own keeper Teddy Richert.

Sochaux`s woes increased moments into the second-half when former Newcastle man Laurent Charvet turned the ball into his own net.

The visitors restored a little pride with a consolation on 71 minutes. Charvet went on a marauding run down the wing and centred for Mickael Pagis to head home with real power past Gregory Coupet.

Lyon were the big winners on Wednesday, as a number of their title rivals failed to collect maximum points.

Guingamp`s title charge seems to be falling off the rails, as they fell to a heavy defeat at Bordeaux.

Les Girondins have struggled of late but have a fearsome forward line and Pauleta grabbed a brace, Jean Claude Darcheville also scored as did Savio as Bordeaux won 4-2. Stephane Carnot netted twice for the visiting Guingamp side.

Nice started the day in second place but were held to a 0-0 draw by fellow title contenders Paris Saint Germain.

Another title contender that failed to win was Monaco, who had to come from a goal behind to clinch a point against Lens.

Charles-Edouard Coridon fired Lens in front on 14 minutes, but Sebastien Squillaci`s second-half equaliser snatched a point for Didier Deschamps`s men.

The battle of the strugglers went the way of Ajaccio who beat basement club Troyes 1-0.

Bernard Diomede, on loan from Liverpool, was the man who got the goal for Ajaccio who had to play for over 30 minutes with 10 men after Bruno Rodriguez was dismissed.

The other basement game went the way of Le Havre, with Pascal Chimbonda`s last-minute goal sinking Montpellier.

Nantes moved into the relative safety of mid-table with a 4-1 romp over Sedan.

All the goals came in the second-half as Gregory Pujol, Stephane Ziani and Nicolas Savinaud gave Les Canaris a three-goal cushion before Henri Camara netted for the visitors on 85 minutes.

As Sedan pressed, Viorel Moldovan capitalised on the space to score.

A late goal from Mamadou Bagayoko gave Strasbourg a battling 1-0 win at Lille.