Ligue 1 round-up: Mario Balotelli scores in Nice victory against Bordeaux
Sunday 2 April 2017 23:01, UK
Mario Balotelli struck from the penalty spot as Nice came from behind to beat Bordeaux 2-1 on Sunday and maintain the pressure on the Ligue 1 pace-setters.
Balotelli's spot-kick cancelled out Gaeten Laborde's early opener at the Allianz Riviera, but it was Valentin Eysseric who won it with his 27th-minute effort to cement the home side in third place in the table.
Nice, who are unbeaten in eight games, are now just a single point worse off than second-placed Paris St Germain and four adrift of leaders Monaco.
Firmin Ndombe Mubele came off the bench to snatch a draw for 10-man Rennes as fourth-placed Lyon allowed victory to slip from their grasp.
The home side had defender Ramy Bensebaini sent off for handball after just five minutes, and although Alexandre Lacazette saw the resulting penalty saved by keeper Benoit Costil, Maxwel Cornet fired the visitors into a 52nd-minute lead.
However, Mubele's 81st-minute strike secured a 1-1 draw, Rennes' fourth in succession.
It proved to be a good day for bottom-of-the-table Lorient, who gave their survival hopes a boost with a 1-0 victory over Caen in a stormy affair at the Stade du Moustoir.
Benjamin Moukandjo gave them a 29th-minute lead, but they found themselves up against it when midfielder Francois Bellugou was sent off for a foul on Jonathan Delaplace four minutes after the restart.
Caen failed to make the most of their numerical advantage and their chances of staging a fightback were dealt a fatal blow nine minutes from time when Damien Da Silva was also shown a red card.
Prejuce Nakoulma's double was enough to claim a 2-1 home victory for Nantes over Angers in an explosive start to the second half.
He struck after 48 and 54 minutes and although Famara Diedhiou headed Angers back into the game within seconds, there was no way back for the visitors, who had Issa Cissokho dismissed for a foul on Guillaume Gillet four minutes from time.
Andy Delort was Toulouse's hero as they won for the first time in six outings, claiming a 1-0 triumph at Montpellier.
