Lyon maintained their healthy lead at the summit of Ligue 1 with a 2-0 win at Nancy.
Lyon maintained their healthy lead at the summit of Ligue 1 with a 2-0 win at Nancy.
Although the home side had kept things tight until half-time, Gerard Houllier's men took the upper-hand early in the second period.
Claudio Cacapa put Lyon ahead after 49 minutes, before Fred made the three points safe when he added a second six minutes before the break.
Bordeaux did what they could to maintain the pressure on the leaders by beating Monaco 1-0 at the Stade Louis II courtesy of Denilson's 70th minute winner.
Auxerre remain third after beating Lens 1-0 thanks to a Peguy Luyindula goal on the stroke of half-time.
Le Mans climbed a place after fortuitously beating Ajaccio at the Stade Leon-Bollee. The tie looked like ending in a goalless draw until Santos Carlos put through his own net in the second minute of injury time to give the home side a 1-0 victory.
Lille hammered Sochaux 3-0, with Matt Moussilou opening the scoring after just two minutes before Romain Pitau's own goal seconds before the break made it 2-0. Daniel Gygax completed the scoring in the 55th minute.
Nantes and Nice had to settle for a point apiece after playing out a goalless draw at La Beaujoire-Louis-Fonteneau.
At the bottom of the table, Strasbourg won a relegation six-pointer, moving off the foot of the table thanks to a 2-1 win at home to Metz.
Ulrich Le Pen (10) put the home side ahead from the penalty spot before Pascal Johansen added a second on 36 minutes. Herve Tum (87) set up a grandstand finish, but the points went to Strasbourg, consigning Ajaccio to the basement.
Auxerre 1-0 Lens
Le Mans 1-0 Ajaccio
Lille 3-0 Sochaux
Monaco 0-1 Bordeaux
Nancy 0-2 Lyon
Nantes 0-0 Nice
Strasbourg 2-1 Metz
