Last-gasp Jallet goal rescues point for PSG
Reuters - Saturday 17 March 2012, 21:55
Christophe Jallet scored a
superb last-gasp goal as Paris Saint-Germain retained their Ligue 1
lead with a 2-2 draw at Caen on Saturday.
Jallet chested down a Jeremy Menez cross and fired a volley
into the net one minute into stoppage time to put PSG on 59
points from 28 matches.
PSG, unbeaten in all competitions since coach Carlo
Ancelotti took over from Antoine Kombouare in December, lead
Montpellier by two points after the second-placed side lost 1-0
to Nancy.
Montpellier had Vitorino Hilton sent off in the 42nd minute
and were holding on until Benjamin Stambouli was also shown a
straight red card with Andre Luiz converting the resulting
penalty shortly after the hour to hand the visitors their first
defeat in 2012.
PSG were also heading to their first loss of the year when
Jallet salvaged a lucky draw following a mediocre performance by
the leaders.
Strugglers Caen went ahead nine minutes into the second half
when Pierre-Alain Frau connected with a Livio Nabab cross and
scored from close range.
Argentine midfielder Javier Pastore equalised two minutes
later by putting a poor clearance into the net but the hosts
took the lead again in the 71st minute with Thomas Heurtaux
heading home from a corner-kick.
Olympique Lyon won 1-0 at Saint-Etienne to leapfrog their
opponents into fourth place thanks to a late goal by substitute
Bafetimbi Gomis, their fifth consecutive victory at Geoffroy
Guichard stadium.
Keeper Stephane Ruffier denied Michel Bastos and Anthony
Reveillere with superb saves, then blocked a Lisandro Lopez
volley, but there was nothing he could do when Gomis unleashed a
25-metre rocket with nine minutes left.
Lyon now have 46 points. Saint-Etienne are fifth, also on 46 points, but trail on goal
difference.
Olympique Marseille's hopes of qualifying for next season's
Champions League suffered yet another setback when they dropped
to ninth following a 2-1 home defeat by Dijon.
Four days after qualifying for the Champions League last
eight at the expense of Inter Milan, it all started well for
Didier Deschamp's side as they took the lead thanks to a Loic
Remy penalty after 11 minutes.
Midfielder Younousse Sankhare made it 1-1 midway through the
first half from close range and Gael Kakuta converted a penalty
11 minutes from time after Nicolas Nkoulou was sent off for a
foul on Koro Kone.