Nancy and Lyon share the spoils

[Freddy Adu]

Nancy and Lyon share the spoils

Ligue 1's top-of-the-table clash ends all-square (1-1) as Milan Baros and Chris Malonga both get on the scoresheet in the final 15 minutes. Lyon go into the winter break four points clear of their nearest challengers.

Ligue 1, Matchday 19 Saturday, December 22, 2007 Stade Marcel-Picot Nancy 1 Malonga 87 Lyon 1 Baros 80 Chris Malonga grabbed the 87th-minute equaliser to help second-placed Nancy to a thrilling 1-1 draw at home to Ligue 1 leaders Lyon - and ensure the gap at the top remains an assailable four points ahead of the winter break. The pre-Christmas clash between the defending champions and the surprise challengers lived up to its billing, despite freezing conditions inside the Stade Marcel-Picot. In a breathless end-to-end first half on a fog-filled and frosty pitch, Alain Perrin's side forced the first save as Karim Benzema rounded off a slick three-pass move on the right with a strike which was parried by Gennaro Bracigliano. The home side struck back when Issiar Dia's cross into the area found Youssouf Hadji, whose floated header was spectacularly collected by Remi Vercoutre, and a thunderous 30-yard free-kick from Pascal Berenguer fizzed narrowly over the crossbar. L'OL retaliated, Bracigliano brilliantly twice denying Benzema from close range. However, it was Pablo Correa's men who ended the first 45 minutes the stronger. Vercoutre was forced to save with his feet after the ball had fallen to a fast-turning Marc-Antoine Fortune - though the forward was unlucky not to put Nancy ahead on the stroke of half time. He could only watch as his header bounced off Vercoutre's left-hand post and the 'keeper instinctively grabbed the rebound. As temperatures dropped to -4 degrees, the home side started the second half as they had left off, Kim twice forcing saves from an inspired Vercoutre, who endeavoured to parry a point-blank strike from Hadji in a crowded penalty area as Nancy dominated the action. However, in the 80th minute and against the run of play, Lyon broke, and first-half substitute Milan Baros picked up the ball on the right, ran through and slipped the ball past Bracigliano to give the visitors the lead. Just as it seemed Perrin's side would run out victors and go into the three-week break with a formidable seven-point lead, Nancy struck back. With just three minutes remaining, Benjamin Gavanon's corner was cleared but fell to Malonga on the edge of the penalty area. The midfielder released a 20-yard shot, which deflected wickedly off Francois Clerc's back to loop over a stranded Vercoutre and into the net, sending his team and the home fans wild - and keeping alive Nancy's hopes of catching the runaway champions.