On the eve of the top-of-the-table tie between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, title rivals Toulouse and Montpellier Herault both failed in their bids to take top spot on Saturday.
Toulouse fell 3-0 to mid-table Sochaux-Montbeliard, as 10-man Montpellier fought back from two goals down before holding hosts Girondins de Bordeaux, who also had a player sent off, 2-2.
Montpellier moved third ahead of Toulouse on goal-difference.
“It’s a good wakeup call for everyone,” Toulouse coach Alain Casanova said after his side ended a four-match winning streak.
A double from Mali international Modibo Maiga and a late Cedric Bakambu goal ensured Sochaux ended a run of consecutive defeats and 10 goals conceded.
The southwestern outfit were trailing after just nine minutes when Maiga opened the scoring for Sochaux after picking up a cross from midfielder Loic Poujol.
The Mali forward formed a deadly tandem with France international playmaker Marvin Martin, who set up two decisive passes in the frantic final minutes of play.
A Martin cross resulted in a Maiga header two minutes from time, before Bakambu sealed the victory two minutes later.
Montpellier, still reeling from last week’s 3-0 defeat to PSG, failed to take advantage of the sending off of Bordeaux defender Marc Planus for a foul on Nigerian defender John Utaka after 24 minutes.
Bordeaux looked set for just their second win of the season after goals from Malian Cheick Diabate (18 minutes) and Mickael Ciani (49 minutes), and the sending off of Montpellier’s Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa for a second yellow card after 80 minutes.
However, Younes Belhanda converted a penalty two minutes from time and Brazilian Hilton got a last-gasp equalizer to ensure a point for the southerners.
Lorient move up to fifth following a 2-0 win at home against Valenciennes thanks to goals from Arsenal’s on-loan Costa Rican striker Joel Campbell (22 minutes) and midfielder Yann Jouffre (69 minutes).
Stade Malherbe Caen ended a run of two successive defeats after being held 1-1 by visiting OGC Nice, but they stay seventh as AJ Auxerre remained ninth after a 1-1 draw against AS Saint-Etienne.
Tailenders AS Nancy-Lorraine are still looking for their first win after being held 1-1 at home by Evian Thonon Gaillard, while Dijon FCO and AC Ajaccio also played out a 1-1 draw.
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