Fiorese's last gasp goal sinks unlucky Marseille

A last minute goal from Fabrice Fiorese gave Paris Saint Germain a fortunate 1-0 win against old rivals Marseille at a packed Velodrome.

Marseille players left the pitch shaking their heads bitterly disappointed at seeing a game in which they could have won slip from their grasp in the dying moments.

Their night was ruined when Pauleta shot straight at Vedran Runje, the Marseille keeper's clearance falling at the feet of the lurking Fiorese who made the most of the open goal to give PSG a famous victory.

"For a PSG coach to win at the Veledrome is always an exceptional occasion," said victorious manager Vavid Halilhodzic.

"It gives me enormous pride."

With the police presence tripled for this traditionally high risk fixture the game played at breakneck speed lived up to expectations as one of the highlights of the French calendar

Ahmed Hossam Mido had gone close to putting Marseille in front in the 19th minute.

The former Ajax striker could not believe his luck when PSG defender Pierre Fanfan failed to clear Camel Meriem's cross from the right wing, but the Egyptian's shot from in front of goal was stopped by goalkeeper Jerome Alonzo.

The ever dangerous Mido went desperately near again in the 55th minute only for his fiercely struck header to be denied by Alonzo's fingertips, the ball bouncing off the right post and then cleared away out of danger.

Marseille escaped lightly themselves when a PSG freekick found its way through their defence to Branko Boskovic who fluffed his volley, the ball arcing high over Runje's goal.

With ten minutes to go Didier Drogba was at full pelt to pick up a long Stepan Vachousek ball down the right, the Ivory Coast international's angled shot from the edge of the box was kept out however by the diving Alonso.

Drogba then unleashed a pin perfect pass for Vachousek in the box but the Czech international's effort went wide, the player complaining his shirt had been held by PSG's Talal El Karkouri.

Then came Fiorese's bolt from the blue which put PSG on 27 points, level with third-placed Marseille who boast a better goal difference.

Earlier Sochaux's bright run continued with a 3-2 win over Auxerre to follow up their midweek heroics when they knocked former European champions Borussia Dortmund out of the UEFA Cup.

An early goal from Pierre Alain Frau and a double either side of the break from Francileudo Santos lifted them to fourth, nine points off leaders Monaco who on Saturday beat Nantes 1-0 to go six points clear of Lyon.

The reigning champions lost ground on Didier Deschamps' team with a 3-1 away defeat at Rennes.

Lens jumped from ninth to fifth on the strength of a 2-1 win against Guingamp, with their goals coming from Johan Utaka and Daniel Moreira.

In Sunday's other game Bordeaux were cruising to victory over Bastia after Deivid's fourth minute strike before the Corsican side's Youssouf Hadji popped up with the 90th minute equaliser.

French league table after Sunday's matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):