Ligue 1: Bordeaux lose, lowly Grenoble hold Lyon

Champions Girondins Bordeaux slumped to their first home Ligue 1 defeat in over two years when Valenciennes beat them 1-0 on Saturday.

AP

Bordeaux's goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso rues a home defeat

Bordeaux, who had not lost before their fans since a 3-1 defeat by Olympique Lyon in October 2007, stay ahead of second-placed Lyon on goal difference.

The champions, who were missing key players in playmaker Yoann Gourcuff and holding midfielder Alou Diarra, were looking to bounce back from a shock defeat to Lille a fortnight ago, before the international break, but they were stunned by Mamadou Samassa's seventh-minute strike and found Valenciennes goalkeeper Guy N'dy Assembe in inspired form thereafter.

Lyon were widely favoured to win at Grenoble, who had picked just one point from 12 games, and looked set to do so after Argentine winger Cesar Delgado put them ahead on 66 minutes.

Grenoble then had midfielder Laurent Courtois sent off in the 71st minute for angrily throwing the ball at an assistant referee. Two minutes later Serbian forward Danijel Ljuboja earned the home side a share of the points.

Surprise package Auxerre then knocked Bordeaux off the top of Ligue 1 with a 2-0 win over Monaco. Mali defender Adama Coulibaly headed home a Benoit Pedretti free kick to put Auxerre in front just before half-time and Congolese midfielder Delvin Ndinga wrapped up their seventh consecutive win with a late goal.

Auxerre, French champions in 1996, have not been in the lead since February 2003. "First place at this stage doesn't mean much but we're happy with the three points," Auxerre goalkeeper Olivier Sorin told French television channel Orange Sport. "This is great for us and for our fans. I don't know how long we'll stay there, probably not for ever but it's nice."

Elsewhere, Lens came from behind to secure only their fourth Ligue 1 victory of the season this evening at the expense of mid-table Nancy.

Paul Alo'o Efoulou broke the deadlock with the opening goal eight minutes into the second half to put the visitors ahead at the Stade Felix-Bollaert. But Issam Jemaa levelled matters nine minutes from time and Kevin Monnet-Paquet notched the winner three minutes later to complete a stunning comeback.

A goal from Asamoah Gyan 10 minutes from time condemned Le Mans to their seventh successive away defeat as they remain second from bottom of Ligue 1. Kader Mangane gave Rennes an early lead before Rolland Lamah levelled for the visitors but Gyan's late decider means Le Mans are still searching for their first away point this season