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PARIS, April 15 (Reuters) – Ligue 1 leaders Montpellier are
within Paris St Germain’s reach after they slumped to a sobering
2-1 defeat at Lorient on Sunday.
Lorient prevailed through an Henri Bedimo own goal and a
Joel Campbell effort as Montpellier stayed on 66 points with six
games left, three ahead of PSG who travel to bottom side AJ
Auxerre later on Sunday.
Olivier Giroud reduced the arrears for Montpellier with his
20th league goal this season.
Third-placed Lille stayed on track for a Champions League
playoff spot after they thrashed lowly AC Ajaccio 4-1 at home.
Titleholders Lille, on 59 points, lead fourth-placed
Olympique Lyon by six points before the seven-times champions’
trip to Toulouse on Wednesday.
Montpellier, who had won their last three league games,
suffered only their second Ligue 1 defeat in 2012.
Lorient got off to a solid start and had several early
chances through Jeremie Aliadiere and Yann Jouffre.
Montpellier, however, upped the pace before halftime.
John Utaka collected a defence splitting pass from Giroud
but he was denied by Fabien Audard. Giroud’s delicate chip also
went just wide.
Lorient then struck when Aliadiere’s header bounced off
Bedimo’s head into the net in the 69th minute.
Montpellier were clearly unsettled and conceded a second
seven minutes later when Costa Rica’s Campbell curled a perfect
shot past Geoffrey Jourdren.
Giroud, the league’s top scorer, soon pulled one back when
he latched onto a Karim Ait-Fana but Lorient held on.
St Etienne moved up to fifth on 50 points after Max Gradel
and Bakary Sako’s goals earned them a 2-1 win against visitors
Stade Brest.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Mark Meadows)
