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Football: Struggling Brest hand reins to Martins

April 3, 2013 12:15
French Ligue 1 strugglers Brest have handed the reins of the first team to sporting director Corentin Martins for the remainder of the season, president Michel Guyot told AFP on Wednesday. Martins steps into the void left by Landry Chavin, who was sacked on Tuesday after a run of one win in 10 games left the Brittany side in the relegation zone. Martins, a former French international who played for Brest between 1988 and 1991, has already taken charge on an interim basis on two previous occasions, including last season.

Football: Lyon slump to strugglers Sochaux, Marseille win

March 31, 2013 17:46
Lyon saw their French title hopes suffer a potentially fatal blow on Sunday as they went down 2-1 at home to relegation-threatened Sochaux. The loss left Lyon in third place, eight points adrift of leaders Paris Saint Germain, who now look odds-on to lift their first domestic crown since 1994. Marseille are a point better off than Lyon, who have dropped out of the top two for the first time since November.

Sio shines as Sochaux stun Lyon

March 31, 2013 12:30
By Gregory Blachier PARIS (Reuters) - Giovanni Sio scored one goal and set up another to lead Sochaux to a stunning 2-1 victory at misfiring Olympique Lyon which left Paris St Germain seven points clear at the top of Ligue 1 on Sunday. Sio put the visitors ahead with a powerful header in the 50th minute and set Cedric Bakambu up for the winning goal with two minutes left.

Football: Marseille beat Nice despite absent fans

March 31, 2013 11:00
Marseille shrugged aside having their supporters banned from attending their Ligue 1 clash with Nice on Sunday to prevail 1-0 and boost their chances of qualifying for next season's Champions League. The three points moved Marseille into second place, a point ahead of Lyon, who can retake second spot later should they draw or beat struggling Sochaux at home.

Football: Wenger salutes Gervinho after Reading romp

March 30, 2013 22:02
Arsene Wenger praised Gervinho's dazzling performance after the Ivorian forward inspired Arsenal's 4-1 demolition of struggling Reading. Starting for the first time since December 8 after falling out of favour, and then representing his country at the African Cup of Nations in South Africa, the 25-year-old scored in the first half at the Emirates Stadium before turning provider after the break for Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud.

Fourth-placed St Etienne held 2-2 at lowly Troyes

March 30, 2013 15:00
PARIS (Reuters) - St Etienne drew 2-2 at Ligue 1 strugglers ES Troyes with all the goals in the first half on Saturday as they missed the chance to leapfrog Olympique Marseille into provisional third spot. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had put the visitors ahead in the eighth minute with his 17th goal this season but Julien Faussurier levelled for second bottom Troyes in the 25th.

France still looking for sharp shooter as World Cup looms

March 27, 2013 07:16
By Julien Pretot PARIS (Reuters) - France's narrow defeat by Spain exposed Les Bleus's desperate need for a striker with a killer instinct should they qualify for next year's World Cup. Tuesday's 1-0 loss left France in second place in qualifying Group I with 10 points from five games, one point behind world and European champions Spain with three games left. Coach Didier Deschamps blamed the reverse on France's lack of efficiency in a pulsating clash where his side had more chances than their visitors.

Deschamps defends misfiring Benzema

March 26, 2013 20:01
By Julien Pretot PARIS (Reuters) - France coach Didier Deschamps defended his team selection after Les Bleus slumped to a 1-0 home defeat by world champions Spain in World Cup qualifying Group I on Tuesday. Deschamps kept faith with Karim Benzema, who had not scored in 11 games, but the Real Madrid striker passed 1,000 minutes without an international goal in another disappointing performance.

Football: France v Spain starting line-ups

March 26, 2013 15:46
Starting line-ups in the World Cup 2014 European qualifying zone Group I game between France and Spain at the Stade de France on Tuesday: France: Hugo Lloris (capt); Christophe Jallet, Raphael Varane, Laurent Koscielny, Patrice Evra; Yohan Cabaye, Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi; Mathieu Valbuena, Karim Benzema, Franck Ribery Coach: Didier Deschamps Spain: Victor Valdes; Alvaro Arbeloa, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Nacho Monreal; Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernandez (capt), Xabi Alonso; Pedro Rodriguez, David Villa, Andres Iniesta Coach: Vicente Del Bosque

Football: Spain face tough battle, says Deschamps

March 25, 2013 15:15
France coach Didier Deschamps said Monday he was hopeful his team can cause problems for world champions Spain in their 2014 World Cup qualifier and insisted playing for a draw is not in his thinking. France served notice to Spain in the first qualifier, a 1-1 draw in Madrid in October, that they were not going to be an easy opponent and come into the rematch at the Stade de France on Tuesday with a two-point lead at the top of Group I.
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