Saint Etienne halt Montpellier's title push

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PARIS, Feb 20, 2010 (AFP) - Montpellier fluffed the chance to draw level with league leaders Bordeaux with a 1-0 loss at Saint Etienne on Saturday.

Emmanuel Riviere's goal 11 minutes from time proved Montpellier's downfall, to leave them in second on 48 points, three adrift of Bordeaux.

Laurent Blanc's titleholders have been given the weekend off to allow them time to prepare for their Champions League round of 16 first leg tie at Greek side Olympiakos on Tuesday.

Saint Etienne's win ended a five-match winning sequence put together by the season's surprise packages while substitute Riviere's goal was their first conceded this year.

The three points lifted former European heavyweights Saint Etienne six points clear of the relegation zone.

Nice celebrated their first win in three months when French international striker Loic Remy struck from the penalty spot with a 1-0 win over Lorient.

It remains to be seen whether this win will save manager Didier Olle-Nicolle whose position appears precarious.

Le Mans, third from bottom and six points below Nice and Saint Etienne, gained what could prove to be three precious points with a 3-1 victory on the road at fellow-relegation strugglers Boulogne.

The match turned in the space of three first half minutes with a fine strike by Mathieu Dossevi on the half hour mark and Gregory Cerdan doubling up just after.

Mustapha Yatabare pulled one back with just over quarter of an hour to go but to no avail with Le Mans' Mali forward Modibo Maiga bagging a third in the fifth minute of injury time.

Up towards the top Monaco were on the wrong side of a 3-0 rout inflicted by home side Lens, with the goals coming from Issam Jemaa, Sebastien Roudet and Henri Bedimo's second half spot kick.

In Saturday's late game struggling Paris Saint Germain host Toulouse.

On Sunday former multiple champions Lyon, fresh from their midweek European success over Real Madrid, travel to Sochaux, Marseille host Nancy and Lille are at Rennes.