Marseille held by Lyon

Monday, February 06, 2012

PARIS, FRANCE (AFP) — Steve Mandanda’s injurytime reflex save from a close-range effort by Lyon’s Argentinian striker Lisandro helped Marseille to a 2-2 draw in Ligue One action yesterday.

Mandanda’s quick reaction after Lisandro tried to drill home a Kim Kallstrom cross was the highlight of a second half that failed to live up to a first 45 minutes that saw four goals scored.

The high-scoring game belied freezing conditions across the country that had seen Caen vs Auxerre, Sochaux vs Lille and Saint-Etienne vs Lorient all postponed over the weekend.

Marseille, with midfielder Mathieu Valbuena ruled out after he was dismissed in the midweek League Cup win over Nice, opened the scoring through Benoit Cheyrou after a quarter of an hour, the midfielder sending the ball past Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris at the post.

Brandao made it 2-0 on the half-hour, the Brazilian cleanly volleying home from a Morgan Amalfitano cross.

But Lyon hit back in smart fashion, Bafetimbi Gomis capitalising two minutes later from a Kallstrom cross that took a deflection from Jimmy Briand.

Souleymane Diawara, just back from scorching temperatures at the African Cup of Nations with Senegal, then equalised the score two minutes before half-time when his misjudged clearing header beat his own keeper.

The draw left Lyon in fourth place on 39 points, with Lille in third on goal difference, seven points behind second-placed Montpellier. Marseille sit in fifth on 38 points.

In Saturday’s action, Paris Saint Germain survived the big chill to keep their lead at the top of Ligue One intact after a 3-1 win over Evian at the Parc des Princes.

Carlo Ancelotti’s PSG stayed three points clear of Montpellier with 49 points from 22 games after recovering from the shock of going behind on a bonehard pitch, Cedric Cambon opening the scoring in first half stoppage time.

Elsewhere, Dijon slid to a 2-1 home loss to Valenciennes and Ajaccio were held 1-1 by Nice.