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Published: Sunday April 5, 2009 MYT 12:55:00 PM
Updated: Sunday April 5, 2009 MYT 2:10:44 PM

Lyon beats Le Mans 3-1 in French league

PARIS (AP): Karim Benzema scored twice to lead Lyon over Le Mans 3-1 and help the defending champion keep its title rivals at bay in the French league on Saturday.

Lyon leads with 59 points from 30 matches, followed by Bordeaux with 56 and Marseille and Lille with 55.

Marseille can cut Lyon's lead to a point with a victory over Saint-Etienne on Sunday. Jean-Alain Boumsong slotted home a corner kick from Juninho in the 16th minute to put Lyon ahead, before Benzema doubled the lead in the 44th with a diagonal shot inside the post.

The Lyon forward raised his tally to 14 goals this season in the 57th with a header into an empty net after goalkeeper Yohann Pele saved a shot from Sweden midfielder Kim Kallstrom.

TV replays, however, showed Benzema was offside when Kallstrom hit the ball.

Anthony Le Tallec notched a consolation goal for Le Mans in the 77th.

"This victory bodes well for the remainder of the season," Lyon manager Claude Puel said. "I would have preferred to win 3-0.

It would have been the perfect score because goal difference will be extremely important (in the title race)."

Also, it was: Bordeaux 1, Nancy 0; Caen 0, Toulouse 0; Nantes 0, Lille 2; Valenciennes 2, Auxerre 0; Monaco 0, Le Havre 1; Grenoble 1, Lorient 3.

In Bordeaux, Morocco forward Marouane Chamakh collected a long pass from Marc Planus in the 88th to chip the ball over goalkeeper Damien Gregorini and help his team remain in the title race.

"It's a good thing to have won this way," Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc told Europe 1 radio. "We didn't give in mentally. From a psychological viewpoint, that victory will do us good."

Nancy defender Frederic Biancalani was sent off in the 57th after picking up a second yellow card.

Toulouse needed outstanding saves from its goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso to salvage a draw at Caen. But Toulouse lost ground in the title race and slipped to fifth place with 53 points while Caen remained in the relegation zone with 28.

In Nantes, Brazilian midfielder Michel Bastos converted a penalty in the 45th for Lille after Jean-Jacques Pierre fouled Belgium forward Eden Hazard. Slovakia forward Robert Vittek then made it 2-0 by dribbling past Yohann Poulard to fire home in the 57th.

Lille earned its fourth straight victory to go level on points with Marseille in the standings.

"Some teams are obliged to contend for the title," Lille coach Rudi Garcia told Canal Plus television. "We are not, because we don't have the squad for it. Now, nothing prevents us from dreaming."

Jean-Claude Darcheville found the net twice for Valenciennes, converting a rebound in the opening minute and a penalty in the 70th after Kevin Lejeune handled the ball.

Valenciennes stretched its unbeaten run to 13 games to move into 11th place with 36 points.

In Monaco, Massamba Sambou headed in a corner for last-place Le Havre in the 77th.

Monaco defender Dario Simic was sent off in stoppage time after fouling Hassan Alla.

Lorient took the lead in the 29th after Kevin Gameiro was left unmarked at the far post to score from a free kick by Jeremy Morel. Gabriel Obertan then volleyed home a cross from Morel in the 51st to make it 2-0, before Nassim Akrour pulled one back for Grenoble in the 69th. But Morgan Amalfitano sealed the win for Lorient in the 77th with a spectacular lob from midfield.

On Sunday, Paris Saint-Germain faces Nice and Sochaux takes on Rennes.

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