PSG beats Caen 4-2 to stay top in French league

PARIS (AP)—Paris Saint-Germain beat 10-man Caen 4-2 Saturday to keep a three-point lead over Montpellier in the French league.

Defender Thomas Heurtaux headed in a corner in the 12th minute to give Caen the lead, but PSG midfielder Nene leveled in the 20th by converting a penalty after Benjamin Nivet had fouled him and was sent off.

PSG striker Kevin Gameiro cut the ball back for Jeremy Menez who tucked home for a 2-1 lead in the 55th. Nene made it 3-1 with another penalty in the 76th following a foul by Nicolas Seube on Gameiro.

Jerry Vandam cut PSG’s lead to 3-2 by heading in a corner in the 82nd before Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore sealed the win with a diagonal shot in the 88th.

“The most important thing tonight was to earn a sixth straight win (in the league) and keep the lead with a three-point margin,” Nene told the club’s website. “After a disappointing first half, we managed to stay focused and finish strong.”

Montpellier kept pace with the leader by beating Nancy 2-0 with second-half goals from Olivier Giroud and Souleymane Camara.

Also Saturday, it was: Lyon 2, Saint-Etienne 0; Brest 3, Lorient 1; Evian 3, Auxerre 1; Dijon 2, Marseille 3; Ajaccio 0, Bordeaux 2.

In Montpellier, Giroud notched his eighth goal this season from a tight angle to put the hosts ahead in the 61st and tie Gameiro as the top scorer in the league. Camara converted a cross from Benjamin Stambouli to add a second goal in the 74th.

It was a heated Rhone derby in Lyon where the hosts were down to 10 men when fullback Mouhamadou Dabo, who replaced Aly Cissokho at halftime, was red-carded in the 52nd for a violent tackle on Romania midfielder Banel Nicolita.

But Lyon winger Jimmy Briand scored in the 81st with a header after the Saint-Etienne defense failed to clear a corner. Playmaker Yoann Gourcuff put the game out of reach with a chip in the first minute of stoppage time.

“The red card was maybe logical but we remained united,” Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris said. “We gave our everything and managed to open the scoring on a set piece. That was perfect.”

In Brest, Guinea striker Larsen Toure headed home a cross from Eden Ben Basat to put the hosts ahead in the 4th before midfielder Bruno Grougi played a one-two with Mario Licka and fired home a low drive from the edge of the box in the 35th.

Grougi then converted a spot kick to make it 3-0 in the 43rd following a foul on Nolan Roux. Lorient defender Bruno Ecuele Manga scored a consolation goal in the 54th from close range.

Yannick Sagbo opened the scoring for Evian in the 15th with an assist from Cedric Barbosa. Sagbo was again set up by Barbosa to find the net in the 42nd. Barbosa then beat goalkeeper Olivier Sorin in the 69th for a 3-0 lead.

Poland international Dariusz Dudka scored Auxerre’s lone goal in the 71st with a penalty.

Marseille earned a second straight win in the league for the first time this season to climb to the middle of the table, 14 points behind PSG.

Dijon rallied from a two-goal deficit but could not prevent Marseille substitute Alou Diarra from scoring the winner by heading home a free kick from Mathieu Valbuena in the 82nd.

Marseille midfielder Charles Kabore fed Loic Remy who slipped the ball past goalkeeper Baptiste Reynet after 19 seconds for the fastest goal this season. Benoit Cheyrou curled home a free kick to make it 2-0 in the 11th.

Dijon came back with a spectacular volley from striker Brice Jovial in the 46th and a header from Benjamin Corgnet in the 63rd.

“We must really avoid to have such a big scare,” Remy told the club’s website. “We managed to react but we must put the result beyond doubt more quickly and not repeat that kind of mistake.

“It’s our first victory on the road, that’s good for our confidence. We’ve started a small streak. Let’s hope it will continue because we need it to narrow the gap with the top teams.”

Bordeaux moved out of the relegation zone, five points clear of last-place Ajaccio. Forward Yoan Gouffran gave Bordeaux the victory by sliding in a pass from Nicolas Maurice-Belay in the 25th and volleying home in the 29th.

On Sunday, defending champion Lille travels to Valenciennes, Toulouse hosts Rennes and Nice faces Sochaux.

import from: http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-frenchroundup