Sochaux beat ailing giants Marseille 1-0 while Lille won 3-1 at Nancy.

With champions Lyon running away with the league again this season, the real race is for second and third place and a spot in next season's money-spinning Champions League competition.

Rabiu Afolabi scored the winner for Sochaux with 13 minutes left to play against the increasingly troubled Marseille, who now have only two wins in their last 10 league matches.

But despite their lofty position, Sochaux coach Alain Perrin, formerly of Portsmouth, is not getting carried away.

"If we start to let things happen, or start thinking we can rely on teammates and each person can relax a little, all those are things that can pull the rug from under the feet of a successful team," said Perrin.

"Our work is psychological now to keep the pressure on this team to continue to perform."

Nancy took the lead early in the second half at home to Lille through Benjamin Gavanon.

But just past the hour mark Mathieu Bodmer restored parity and minutes later Mathieu Debuchy gave the visitors the lead before Souleymane Youla's injury time clincher.

On Saturday, Lyon broke another French record after a 1-0 win at Le Mans gave them their 14th win from the first 16 matches this season.

That win bettered the mark of 13 wins from the opening 16 contests set by Paris St Germain in the 1985/86 season. And incredibly it was Lyon's coach Gerard Houllier who was in charge of that team as well.

The victory moved Lyon on to 43 points but was due more to industry than flair as former Arsenal forward Sylvain Wiltord headed home a free-kick from Brazil midfielder Juninho just before the hour mark.

Lens won 3-0 at home to last seasons runners-up Bordeaux. Vitorino Hilton opened the scoring on 40 minutes and Daniel Cousin made the points safe on 57 minutes before Issam Jemaa's late cherry on the cake.

Struggling Monaco gave their beleaguered fans something to cheer about with a 3-0 coasting against Valenciennes.

St Etienne are fifth after a 2-0 win over Lorient, in which both sets of fans demonstrated their support for PSG's ultras.