Montpellier edges Bordeaux 1-0 in French league

PARIS (AP) — Montpellier edged Bordeaux 1-0 to snatch the lead in the French league from Paris Saint-Germain which salvaged a 4-4 draw with Lyon on Saturday.

Montpellier had a one-point lead over PSG thanks to forward John Utaka, who scored the winner by heading in a corner in the 80th minute.

Bordeaux and Montpellier both struck the woodwork in the first half. Montpellier playmaker Younes Belhanda rattled the bar in the 18th while Bordeaux midfielder Ludovic Obraniak hit the post in the 21st.

"Bordeaux is a good team and we struggled to develop plays," Utaka told Foot Plus television. "We'll try to stay at the top as long as possible. There are 13 rounds left, that's still a long way to go."

PSG rallied from a two-goal deficit with a late equalizer from striker Guillaume Hoarau.

"Of course it's a good point, but we must do much better," Hoarau told Canal Plus television. "We have no right to concede goals like we did, especially from set pieces."

"We must absolutely win this title. But we'll have to go and get it because it won't fall from the sky."

Hoarau opened the scoring by pouncing on a pass from PSG winger Jeremy Menez to beat Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the 21st with a low shot.

But Lyon forward Bafetimbi Gomis volleyed home an offering from Kim Kallstrom to notch his 10th goal this season and level in the 34th.

Argentine striker Lisandro Lopez gave Lyon a 2-1 lead in the 36th before Brazilian winger Michel Bastos fired a half-volley into the top corner to make it 3-1 in the 40th.

PSG midfielder Nene raised his tally to 12 goals by converting a penalty on the stroke of halftime after Maxime Gonalons fouled him.

Lyon winger Jimmy Briand outjumped the PSG defense to head in a corner in the 57th. But a first-time shot from PSG substitute Marcos Ceara cut Lyon's lead to 4-3 in the 73rd, setting the stage for a nervy finish.

Lloris denied Nene with a reflex save in the 82nd and stopped a powerful header from Thiago Motta in the 86th.

But Hoarau headed in the equalizer in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

"We're very disappointed by the final result," Briand said. "It's unfortunate because we had a very good game and deserved to win. ... We blame ourselves for failing to protect our lead."

Also, it was: Auxerre 0, Saint-Etienne 0; Valenciennes 2, Lorient 0; Nice 1, Caen 0; Ajaccio 2, Dijon 1; and Evian 2, Nancy 0.

In Valenciennes, substitute Mamadou Samassa scored with a powerful strike in the 78th before midfielder Renaud Cohade capitalized on a counterattack to beat Lorient goalkeeper Fabien Audard in the 81st.

In Nice, winger Anthony Mounier put the hosts ahead with a header in the 50th.

Caen was down to 10 men in the 57th when fullback Aurelien Montaroup was red-carded for a foul on Nice midfielder Kevin Anin.

In Ajaccio, Brazilian striker Eduardo headed in a cross from Damien Tiberi in the 54th.

Playmaker Johan Cavalli fired home from 16 meters to add a second goal in the next minute.

Dijon midfielder Bennard Kumordzi pulled one back in the 66th by heading in a free kick from Eric Bautheac.

In Evian, forward Kevin Berigaud took advantage of a defensive blunder from Nancy centerback Sebastien Puygrenier to open the scoring from close range in the 30th.

Berigaud doubled the lead two minutes later with a low curling shot.

On Sunday, Rennes hosts defending champion Lille, Marseille faces Brest and Toulouse plays Sochaux.