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Bordeaux close in on Lyon after win over struggling PSG

Fired by a hat-trick from midfielder Geraldo Wendel, Bordeaux kept up their French title hopes on Sunday, moving back within three points of leaders Lyon after a 3-0 home waltz over struggling Paris St Germain.

As Bordeaux celebrated a win which cements their hopes of a place in the lucrative Champions League next season, the crushing reverse for PSG left the capital club fighting against what would be a first-ever relegation.

Following Lyon's win away to Lille on Saturday before a French league record crowd of 78,000 at the Stade de France the pressure was on Laurent Blanc's Bordeaux side to secure maximum points at the Stade Chaban-Delmas.

"Now we are just three points adrift, so the title is a possibility," Wendel said as the Girondins moved onto 52 points from 27 games.

After enjoying overwhelming possession early on without ever really threatening PSG keeper Mickael Landreau Bordeaux took the lead when Wendel, fed by veteran Johan Micoud, fired home a left-foot shot on 32 minutes.

Three minutes after the restart, Marouane Chamakh crossed for Wendel to flip home a nonchalant second and three minutes later the Brazilian ended a 40m dash by heading in Alejandro Alonso's cross from 20m.

"Of course we're disappointed to lose 3-0 but we have to hang in there," said a despondent Landreau, who blamed the fact that PSG have expended recent energy on reaching the league cup final to the detriment of their battle for league survival.

The Parisians are just two points clear of the drop zone and in the bottom four -- yet at the same time they are only eight points off sixth-placed side Nice, who drew 0-0 at St Etienne earlier on Sunday.

St Etienne, who have spent the past six years in the shadow of local rivals Lyon and never come close to emulating their glory years of the 1970s, failed to record a third straight win after failing to find a way past in-form visiting keeper Hugo Lloris.

On Saturday, Lyon thanked striker Fred's low drive for their win over Lille as the six-times champions warmed up for today's Champions League return with Manchester United.

Lyon thus ended a ragged stretch of away form in securing their first success on their travels since Nov. 24.

Marseille kept up their push for a Champions League spot next season in moving fourth with a 2-1 home win over Auxerre.
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