SunTrip

PARIS, France - Ireneusz Jelen's seventh goal this season gave Auxerre a 1-0 win over Valenciennes in the French league while seven-time champion Lyon missed a chance to move provisionally on top of the table on Saturday.

Having recovered from a back injury, Jelen struck in the 38th minute after being set up in the box by Roy Contout. The forward dribbled past goalkeeper Nicolas Penneteau and slotted home into an open goal.

Auxerre, which has been defeated only twice in the past three months and claimed a fourth consecutive win in all competitions, was sixth in the standings with 48 points from 26 games.

League leader Bordeaux and Montpellier, who have 51 points each, lock horns on Sunday. Defending champion Bordeaux, which has two games in hand, tops the league thanks to a better goal difference.

Following three consecutive wins, Lyon was held to a scoreless draw at Boulogne to remain third with 50 points.

Boulogne midfielder Olivier Kapo had the best chance in the 55th minute but his acrobatic volley in the box ended just wide.

"We should have been more conquering in the first half," Lyon and France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris said. "We have to be content with this point and to move on. The game against Real will be very difficult, we'll need to be strong."

Still unbeaten in 2010, Lyon will travel to Spain next week for its Champions League last 16 second-leg clash with Real Madrid. Lyon won the first leg 1-0.

Fourth-placed Lille bounced back from a home loss to Auxerre last week with a 1-1 draw on the turf of a very enterprising Saint-Etienne side.

Saint-Etienne striker Emmanuel Riviere put his team ahead in the 17th minute with a 25-meter drive, and Stephane Dumont levelled from close range following a corner four minutes later. Saint-Etienne had the best chances in the second half but failed to turn them into goals.

After its humiliating 3-0 home loss to fierce rival Marseille, struggling Paris Saint-Germain escaped a new setback, securing a 1-1 draw at Lens thanks to Stephane Sessegnon's goal in injury time.

Lens midfielder Sebastien Roudet opened the scoring in the 67th minute with a deflected left-foot shot.

Sessegnon retrieved the ball in the box and scored from close range after substitute Younousse Sankhare hit the bar with a superb free kick.

About 40 PSG supporters were arrested before kickoff and their match tickets were confiscated after their club decided this week to bar them from travelling.

Clashes involving hooligans from the two main stands at PSG's stadium Parc des Princes erupted last week on the sidelines of the match against Marseille, leaving a 38-year-old in a life-threatening condition.

About 550 police officers were deployed in Lens and the stand reserved for the visiting fans in the Stade Bollaert was closed.

In Saturday's other results, it was: Nice 2, Nancy 3; Rennes 1, Monaco 0; and Sochaux 1, Toulouse 0.

Marseille could stay in the title race on Sunday if it earns a fifth straight win by defeating Lorient at Stade Velodrome. Marseille is in fifth place with 48 points.

Last-placed Grenoble hosts Le Mans in Sunday's other match.