Lens was overrun by northern rivals Lille in a 3-0 defeat that loosened the club's grip on the Ligue 1 title race on Saturday. The Derby du Nord was temporarily paused in the 35th minute after discriminatory chanting drowned out the match.
The announcer at Stade Pierre-Mauroy appealed to Lille fans to cease insulting their opponents, and the referee warned both sides might return to the dressing rooms. Hákon Haraldsson broke the deadlock just before halftime, finishing a rapid counterattack set up by a long pass from Lille captain Aïssa Mandi.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
Lille doubled its lead through an unforced error. Matthieu Udol's botched back pass was intercepted by Nidal Celik's miscontrolled ball, allowing Felix Correia to rush past goalkeeper Robin Risser and slot into an empty net in the 50th minute.
Fernandez-Pardo added a third from the penalty spot after Ismaëlo Ganiou handled in the box, sealing a troubled night for the visitors.
PSG holds a four-point lead with a game in hand over second-placed Lens heading into the closing rounds, positioning the champions to retain their league crown.
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Strasbourg extends unbeaten run to 10 without Panichelli
Strasbourg cruised past Nice 3-1 to extend its unbeaten streak across all competitions to 10 matches, even as top scorer Joaquín Panichelli watched from the stands. The striker tore his right ACL during Argentina training last week and underwent surgery on Thursday, ruling him out for the World Cup and possibly the start of next season.
Wingers Martial Godo and Samir El-Mourabet filled the void, combining for three goals before halftime. Godo struck the crossbar then headed into the far corner, while midfielder Julio Enciso added a crafty second after nutmegging the Nice goalkeeper.
Enciso celebrated by pulling on a jersey bearing Panichelli's name — a quiet tribute to an absent teammate.
Emanuel Emegha returned from a four-month injury layoff in the 77th minute, offering a timely boost before his expected move to Chelsea next season. Antoine Mendy scored a consolation for Nice, which slipped to its 15th defeat.
The two clubs will meet again in the French Cup semifinals on April 22.
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Rennes wins 4-3 thriller in Brittany
Rennes edged past Brest in a chaotic nine-goal spectacle, prevailing 4-3 to climb within three points of fourth-placed Lille. Esteban Lepaul converted two penalties, including the decisive spot-kick in the 74th minute.
Junior Dina Ebimbe had equalized with a brace of his own, cancelling out Lepaul's opening goal. The goalkeeper guessed correctly but could not keep out the winning effort.