Giuly double sends PSG joint second
PARIS - Paris St Germain moved within one point of Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyon when a Ludovic Giuly double helped secure a 4-1 win at Nantes on Saturday.
Giuly put PSG ahead and scored again in the second half having twice been set up by Peguy Luyindula, who also netted by flicking the ball past keeper Jerome Alonzo after 20 minutes.
Djamel Abdoun made it 2-1 before the break with a penalty to reduce the arrears but PSG midfielder Stephane Sessegnon's powerful drive 20 minutes from time completed the rout.
Third-placed PSG now have 42 points from 23 games, level with second-placed Girondins Bordeaux who travel to Olympique Marseille, who are sixth with 38, on Sunday.
Seven times champions Lyon, who have been struggling this year, visit Nice, also on Sunday.
At Nantes's Stade de la Beaujoire, former Barcelona winger Giuly, who started in place of the injured Guillaume Hoarau, produced a man-of-the-match performance.
He poked the ball home from Luyindula's cross in the 11th minute and doubled his tally three minutes after the break when he collected a defence-splitting pass from the striker.
Toulouse rose to fourth on 41 points with a 2-0 win at home to Le Mans thanks to Moussa Sissoko's strike before the break and Andre-Pierre Gignac's 14th this season late on.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Lille, who were 2-0 down at halftime, moved up to fifth when second-half goals by Pierre-Alain Frau, Robert Vittek and Eden Hazard helped them to a 3-2 win over strugglers Sochaux.
Seventh-placed Stade Rennes lost 1-0 at bottom team Le Havre, who grabbed a last minute goal through Amadou Alassane.
Normandy side Le Havre are nine points away from the safety zone after 17th-placed St Etienne beat visitors Caen 3-2.
‘After Manchester City’s recent form, maybe they’re the underdogs against Manchester United!’ Former Red Devils defender on this weekend’s derby
‘Arteta, Alonso, Emery, me… none of us were physical players – we needed the understanding of the game. That probably helped us move into management’: Premier League boss reveals reasons for natural career progression