France’s top two earned just a point between them, while UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists Olympique de Marseille lost 2-1 at home against relegation-haunted Dijon FCO.
Paris Saint-Germain FC might have hoped for better after Javier Pastore cancelled out Pierre-Alain Frau’s opener for SM Caen within two minutes, but the capital side needed an added-time Christophe Jallet strike to snatch a 2-2 draw after defender Thomas Heurtaux struck 20 minutes from the end for the visitors. That would have been less of a blow for second-ranked Montpellier Hérault SC had they not lost 1-0 at AS Nancy-Lorraine, with André Luiz striking the winner from the penalty spot on 63 minutes.
Marseille are now 20 points off the pace in the title race, after conspiring to throw away a 1-0 lead handed them by Loïc Rémy’s 11th-minute penalty, to lose 2-1 at home against Dijon. Younousse Sankharé replied for the visitors before half-time and on-loan Chelsea FC striker Gaël Kakuta won the game with a shot from the spot on 79 minutes.
Elsewhere, there were wins for Évian Thonon Gaillard FC and FC Lorient while FC Girondins de Bordeaux conceded a late equaliser at home to AC Ajaccio.
Former AS Saint-Étienne striker Bafétimbi Gomis proved to be his old side’s undoing in the late derby game, as he scored Olympique Lyonnais’s late goal after controlling Hugo Lloris’s long clearance. As he celebrated, Gomis revealed an Éric Abidal shirt in tribute to the stricken FC Barcelona player.
