Rennes, Lyon lose ground in race for European spots

PARIS (AP) - Rennes and Lyon both dropped points Sunday in their bid for a European place next season. Rennes is in danger of ceding third place in the French league after losing 1-0 at Reims, while Lyon drew 1-1 at home to Strasbourg.

Lille can overtake Rennes in third if it beats Marseille at home in Sunday's last game. Marseille is far ahead in second, behind runaway leader Paris Saint-Germain.

Lyon's fourth league match without a win leaves it mired in 11th place and seven points behind Rennes, with the team finishing third reaching the qualifying rounds of the Champions League.

Eighteen-year old forward El Bilal Touré scored a second-half penalty for eighth-place Reims, which moved one point behind Strasbourg in seventh.

CLOSE CALL

Strasbourg almost scored an injury-time winner against Lyon but defender Alexander Djiku missed an open goal after a free kick hit the post and the ball came his way.

Winger Bertrand Traoré ended a run of 29 league games without scoring to put Lyon ahead in the 21st minute, turning in Maxwel Cornet's cross for his first goal since last March.

Striker Majeed Waris played in Kévin Zohi behind Lyon's defense for the equalizer in the 43rd.

Zohi checked his run, thinking he was offside, before scoring off the post. The goal was ruled offside but validated following video review.

SLIDING DOWN

Saint-Étienne is now only two points above the relegation zone after a 3-2 defeat at Brest.

Brest led 3-0 at halftime through midfielder Paul Lasne, striker Gaëtan Charbonnier and forward Irvin Cardona.

Forwards Denis Bouanga and Loïs Diony replied in the second half for coach Claude Puel's struggling Saint-Étienne side, which slipped to 16th place.

Brest is 13th and seven points above the drop zone.

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