FOOTBALL NEWS FROM Ligue 1
Lille close in on Ligue 1 title
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Lille moved to the brink of their first Ligue 1 title since 1954 with a hard-fought win against Sochaux. Gervinho's 54th-minute goal decided the contest and sent the hosts six points clear of Marseille with two games left.

Lille now just need a point at Paris St Germain on Saturday or at home to Rennes the following weekend to be crowned champions.

The hosts were unlucky not to get a penalty in the fourth minute when Damien Perquis made a clumsy challenge on Gervinho in the area, but the referee waved away the appeals.

And the visitors had another let-off when Gervinho met Eden Hazard's cross from the left with a first-time shot which came back off a post.

Lille were clearly in no mood to let Marseille back into the title race and Gervinho should have scored in the 19th minute when he knocked the ball past Teddy Richert as the goalkeeper came out but then shot over.

Moussa Sow then fired just wide with a shot on the turn.

Lille's dominance continued after the break and it took a reflex save from Richert to keep out an Adil Rami header, although the keeper then got lucky as the ball deflected off defender David Sauget a hit a post.

A goal was coming and it arrived nine minutes after the break.

Sow won the ball and played Gervinho in down the right of the area, the Ivory Coast striker shooting home via the inside of the far post.

Sochaux were handed a chance to equalise when Aurelien Chedjou was caught in possession in his own area.

Modibo Maiga pulled the ball back for Brown Ideye, but the striker miscued his shot wide when he should have done better.

Gervinho might have sealed the points in the final minute when Richert parried Tulio De Melo's effort.

Instead he fired the rebound over the top, but one goal proved enough to take Lille to within touching distance of the title.