Ligue 1: Lille hold PSG to draw

Paris St Germain missed the opportunity to replace Marseille at the top the Ligue 1 standings as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Lille on Wednesday night.

Marseille's 1-1 draw at Lorient on Tuesday meant PSG would become the new league leaders if they beat Rene Girard's side at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy 24 hours later, but they were foiled by several fine saves by home goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.

PSG appeared firmly in control when Edinson Cavani opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark, but PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu inexplicably turned David Rozenhal's glancing effort from Sebastien Corchia's corner into his own net three minutes before half-time to gift Lille an equaliser.

Lucas hit the crossbar in the second half as Laurent Blanc's side went in search of a winner but in the end they were forced to settle for a share of the spoils as Lille proved to be worthy opponents.

The Parisians remain second with 34 points from 16 matches, with table toppers Marseille one point better off from their 16 fixtures.

PSG might have been chasing a 10th-consecutive victory in all competitions, but it was Lille who made the brighter start and Florent Balmont hit the post in the second minute after a free-flowing move which also involved team-mates Nolan Roux and Divock Origi.

Enyeama had to be alert in the 10th minute when Lucas latched on to an exquisitely lofted through-ball from Ezequiel Lavezzi and fired in a skidding drive, but the goalkeeper did enough to keep out the stinging effort.

Lille's resilience was broken in the 28th minute when a defensive lapse allowed Lucas to free Lavezzi down the right and his low cross was turned home by Cavani for his seventh league goal of the season.

PSG appeared to be heading into the half-time interval with a slender lead but Sirigu gifted Lille an equaliser and a point in the process when he failed to clear the danger from Corchia's corner and instead parried Rozenhal's tame effort into his own net.

Lille made a bright start to the second half but Origi could not cap off a mazy run with a suitable finish and Sirigu managed to scramble his tame shot away to safety.

PSG responded immediately and the two-time reigning Ligue 1 champions should have been ahead but, like Origi a few minutes earlier, Lucas could not capitalise on a lung-busting run past several defenders and his shot cannoned off the crossbar and to safety.

Enyeama was then called into action to deny Blaise Matuidi and Lucas before time ran out for PSG to secure a seventh-straight league victory and replace Marseille as league leaders.