French Ligue 1: Reims leave it late for win

Reims scored twice in the last 12 minutes to snatch a 3-2 comeback victory over 10-man Evian at the Stade Auguste Delaune II.

The hosts took a 14th-minute lead through Diego, but Evian hit back with second-half goals from Daniel Wass and Cedric Cambon to set up the chance for a fourth Ligue 1 win in five games.

However, the game turned on its head during a two-minute spell which saw Reims defender Aissa Mandi level things up at 2-2, Evian lose Cambon to a red card and then Diego net the winning goal.

Reims' victory comes after successive league defeats to Guingamp and Lyon and keeps them in the top 10, while Evian are now just two points above the relegation zone.

There was nothing to separate the sides during a quiet opening quarter of an hour, but Reims went ahead with the first real chance of the match.

Benjamin Moukandjo did all the damage with some good work inside the area and, although his shot was parried by Jesper Hansen, Diego was on hand to slot the rebound into an empty net.

Evian sought to reply with efforts from Clarck N'Sikulu and Yeltsin Tejeda, but home goalkeeper Johnny Placide was equal to both shots and the visitors almost found themselves 2-0 down in the 29th minute when Diego sent in a goal-bound header that was hacked off the line by Cambon.

Reims were unable to increase their advantage, however, and they were pegged back in the 57th minute when Youssouff Sabaly's cross from the left picked out Wass and he sent Placide the wrong way with a first-time header.

That was Wass' fifth goal in his last seven league games and he was also heavily involved as Evian took the lead 12 minutes later.

The Denmark international curled in a free-kick and his pinpoint delivery found Cambon, whose powerful header left Placide with no chance.

Suddenly another victory was within Evian's grasp, but it all unravelled for them in dramatic fashion at the 78-minute mark.

First, Diego's corner was headed home by Mandi, and in the aftermath Cambon was shown a straight red card for something he said to the referee.

That was a double blow for Evian, but worse was to follow as two minutes later Reims netted the winning goal when Hansen could only clear an Odair Fortes cross as far as Diego, who powered in a volley from 12 yards.