Lorient News

Burnley are edging closer to completing a deal for Algeria captain Yazid Mansouri.

Lorient twice came from behind to beat Valenciennes 3-2 on Wednesday and end a run of five matches without a win in Ligue 1. Morgan Amalfitano scored twice for the home side to cancel out strikes by Johan Audel and Gael Danic, with Franco Sosa grabbing what proved to be the winner midway through the second half.

Valenciennes boss Philippe Montanier has been left cursing the arctic conditions for interrupting his preparations for Wednesday's match at Lorient.

Bordeaux beat Toulouse 2-1 and increased its lead to nine points halfway through the French league on Wednesday.

German Bundesliga club Freiburg have signed Tunisia midfielder Hamed Namouchi until the end of the season.

Bordeaux boss Laurent Blanc believes his side's improved defending is the reason they head into Saturday's clash with Lorient with a six-point cushion at the top of Ligue 1. Les Girondins have not conceded a goal in their last four league games, winning their last three 1-0 against Paris St Germain, Lyon and, on Wednesday, Montpellier.

David Bellion powered Bordeaux to a 4-1 victory over Lorient on Saturday and helped his team consolidate first place in the French league.

Souleymane Diawara netted the winner deep into stoppage-time as Marseille fought back from a goal down to secure a precious victory on the road at Lorient.

Marseille moved within three points of leader Bordeaux in the French league by beating Boulogne 2-0 on Saturday.

Lorient and Auxerre battled their way to a point apiece as both sides failed to close the gap on the leaders of Ligue 1. With the prize of moving to within one win of top spot on the line, there were plenty of chances in an entertaining clash but ultimately no goals, leaving Auxerre down in fourth and Lorient one place and one point further behind.

The French-born Mansouri is confident the Desert Foxes can advance out of Group C. "No disrespect to them," he told the French newspaper Le Parisien Friday night, "but we can take the Americans and Slovenians in a game." Mansouri said he was looking forward to facing David Beckham .

Karim Ait-Fana scored one goal and set up another Saturday to give Montpellier a 2-1 win over Le Mans in the French league.

Moussa Sow struck in the second minute as Rennes claimed a 1-0 victory against Lorient.

Lorient winger Olivier Monterrubio returns to former club Rennes this weekend knowing an away win could send his new employers top of Ligue 1. Monterrubio, 33, scored 41 goals for Rennes in six seasons between 2001 and 2007 but is now an attacking ingredient of Lorient's surprise surge towards the French summit.

An injury-time goal by Brazilian striker Eduardo earned Lens a 1-0 victory at home to Marseille on Saturday that prevented Didier Deschamps 's side from moving to within a point of top spot.

An injury-time equaliser by Kevin Gameiro stole a point for Lorient and denied Grenoble a deserved victory.

Jeremy Clement scored a second-half winning goal Saturday to give Paris Saint-Germain a 1-0 victory over Auxerre in the French league.

French league leaders Auxerre fell to a 1-0 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, while Grenoble were denied a first victory of the season by a dramatic late goal in their match at Lorient.

Lorient captain Sylvain Marchal has his sights set on challenging Ligue 1's top clubs as they prepare to face basement dwellers Grenoble.

First-half goals from Marama Vahirua and Franco Sosa proved decisive as Lorient picked up three points with a 2-0 win over struggling St Etienne.