PSG maintains lead in Ligue 1 with win over Brest

Soccer Betting Lines

01/28/2012 - Brest, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - PSG maintained its three-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 with a 1-0 win over Brest at the Stade Francis-Le Ble on Saturday.

It looked as if PSG would comfortably cruise to three points after Milan Bisevac scored in the sixth minute, but the league leaders were kept at bay for the remainder of the match as Brest ensured a respectable scoreline.

PSG has won three-straight Ligue 1 contests and is unbeaten in its last six league games. The Paris club sets the pace in the French top flight with 46 points on the year.

The win turned out to be a crucial one in the title race as second-place Montpellier also picked up a win Saturday, defeating Nice, 1-0, at the Stade Municipal du Ray. It remains three points adrift of first-place PSG.

Brest, which sits just outside the top-half of the table on 24 points, sees its five-match unbeaten in league play come to an end.

Both sides return to Ligue 1 action on Feb. 4 as PSG welcomes Evian to the Parc des Princes and Brest heads to the Stade de la Mosson for a tough encounter with Montpellier.

Nancy 3, Auxerre 1

Auxerre, France - Yohan Mollo bagged a brace with Daniel Niculae notching a goal in between to help Nancy claim a 3-1 win over Auxerre on Saturday.

Mollo scored his first in the 68th minute before Niculae quickly doubled the advantage with a goal a minute later. Mollo wrapped up the affair with his second goal of the game in the 78th minute. Edouard Cisse nabbed the only goal for Auxerre, netting in the 82nd minute.

The win brings Nancy (22 points) three points clear of the relegation zone, while Auxerre (19 points) remains one spot out of the drop zone on goal differential.

Lille 3, St. Etienne 0

Lille, France - Lille notched three second-half goals to cruise to a 3-0 defeat of St. Etienne at the Stade Lille-Metropole on Saturday.

Eden Hazard converted from the penalty spot in the 50th minute before Nolan Roux grabbed his first two goals of the Ligue 1 season in the 86th and 87th minutes to wrap up the win.

Lille, now with 39 points, moves back into third place after Lyon claimed a 3-1 win over Dijon earlier in the day. St. Etienne sits in eighth place with 33 points.

Montpellier 1, Nice 0

Nice, France - Montpellier edged Nice in dramatic fashion Saturday as Olivier Giroud scored at the death to see his club claim a 1-0 win to keep pace with PSG atop Ligue 1.

Giroud notched his league-leading 15th goal of the season in second-half stoppage time, helping Montpellier to 43 points on the season. It trails first-place PSG by three points.

Nice drops its second-straight league result to remain in the relegation zone on 18 points.

Lyon 3, Dijon 1

Lyon, France - Lyon left it late but still managed to snap a two-game losing skid in league play as it defeated Dijon, 3-1, at the Stade de Gerland on Saturday.

Jimmy Briand opened the scoring for Lyon in the eighth minute, but Dijon equalized through Younousse Sankhare in the 61st minute. Bafetimbi Gomis lifted the home side to the victory, putting Lyon back in front eight minutes from time before Alexandre Lacazette added a third in stoppage time.

Lyon improves to 38 points as it looks to sneak back into the title race, while Dijon remains on 22 points as it looks to avoid relegation.

Lorient 1, Sochaux 1

Lorient, France - Lorient and Sochaux traded second-half goals on Saturday as the two sides played to a 1-1 draw at the Stade du Moustoir.

Alaixys Romao put the home side in front with his strike in the 63rd minute, but Sochaux leveled 10 minutes from time through French forward Cedric Bakambu.

Lorient has drawn three-straight league games to climb to 26 points on the season, while Sochaux sees its four-game losing skid come to end an end as it improves to 19 points.

Toulouse 1, Caen 0

Toulouse, France - French striker Emmanuel Riviere scored the lone for Toulouse in a 1-0 home defeat of Caen at the Stadium Municipal de Toulouse on Saturday.

Riviere provided the break through in the 35th minute to see his side improve to 34 points on the season.

Caen, winless in its last eight league matches, sits three points clear of the relegation zone on 22 points.