A late Brandao goal gave Olympique Marseille a 2-1 win at Lorient which sent them two points clear at the top of Ligue 1 on Sunday.
Brazilian forward Brandao fired under the crossbar from a Karim Ziani cross 11 minutes from time to lift Marseille to 64 points from 32 games.
Girondins Bordeaux climbed a spot to second, two points behind the leaders, with a 1-0 win over champions Olympique Lyon in the day's late match.
The game in Lorient was tense and marred by ugly scenes, notably when Marseille midfielder and captain Lorik Cana and Lorient defender Arnaud Le Lan each received a red card for fighting with two minutes left.
Lorient opened the scoring from close range through forward Kevin Gameiro but the visitors levelled on the hour from a corner through Argentine defender Renato Civelli.
"It was not an easy match, having to come back after conceding an early goal, but we showed tonight that we deserve to be in the lead," Marseille's Brazilian defender Hilton told his club's website (www.om.net).
Bordeaux recorded their first home league win over Lyon in 10 years courtesy of midfielder Alou Diarra, who followed up after a shot by Wendel bounced off the post just before halftime.
"We suffered for the first 15 minutes but then gradually moved on top physically," Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc said in a televised interview.
Lyon dropped to third, four points off the pace, and now face a struggle to win an eighth consecutive title.
"This is tough but it's not over yet," said Lyon striker Karim Benzema. "Everything's still to play for."
With six games left, the title race looks wide open after Paris St Germain moved up to fourth with a 3-0 demolition of bottom-placed Le Havre.
Goals by forward Ludovic Giuly, midfielder Jerome Rothen and striker Guillaume Hoarau put the Parisians one point behind Lyon, opponents they will visit on Friday.
