PSG dig deep to move top in France

Paris Saint-Germain FC recovered from falling two goals down to move top of Ligue 1 on goal difference thanks to a 4-3 triumph at Valenciennes FC.

Carlo Ancelotti's side looked set for disaster when Vincent Aboubakar and Rémi Gomis fired Valenciennes into a 2-0 lead after just 11 minutes, but Jérémy Menez pounced on a mistake at the back to set up Nenê to reduce the deficit moments later. The two men then combined again before releasing Maxwell to hit the equaliser five minutes before the break, and there was still time in the half for Blaise Matuidi to fire in a left-footed effort for the visitors.

PSG gave themselves breathing space when Nenê fed Menez 13 minutes after the restart, but Renaud Cohade ensured a tense finale when he buried a free-kick ten minutes from time. The capital side nonetheless held on to jump ahead of Montpellier Hérault SC, who possess a game in hand.

In fourth, meanwhile, Olympique Lyonnais look set to miss out on UEFA Champions League football next season – after a run of 13 consecutive years in the competition – following their 1-1 draw with Stade Brestois 29. Grégory Lorenzi struck the leveller with a quarter of an hour to go to lift his side out of the bottom three and leave the hosts eight points shy of LOSC Lille Métropole with three matches remaining. Also on Sunday, Évian Thonon Gaillard FC defeated AC Ajaccio 2-1.