Bordeaux hold Monaco to goalless draw

Coach Laurent Blanc was pleased with Girondins Bordeaux's defensive display as the Ligue 1 leaders drew 0-0 at Monaco on Saturday.

Champions Bordeaux, who have won just one of their last six league matches, have 53 points from 27 games and stay ahead of second-placed Montpellier on goal difference.

"We could have done better but a point is not a bad result," Blanc said.

"We were solid at the back and this is reassuring before hosting Olympiakos," he added, referring to Wednesday's Champions League last-16 return game when his side will look to defend a 1-0 advantage from the first leg.

Blanc rested several important players at Monaco including France playmaker Yoann Gourcuff.

Montpellier, who have played one more match than Bordeaux, fought back from a goal down to earn a 1-1 draw with third-placed Auxerre (52 points).

COUNTER ATTACK

Auxerre went ahead when Kenya striker Dennis Oliech squeezed through two defenders to score just before halftime.

Argentine midfielder Alberto Costa put the home side level from a counter attack on 66 minutes before Auxerre had Jeremy Berthod sent off in the dying stages.

Olympique Lyon, in their first outing since knocking Real Madrid out of the Champions League on Wednesday, also recovered from a goal down to record a 1-1 home draw with St Etienne.

The result left Lyon in fourth spot, two points off the pace.

St Etienne, chasing their first league win over Lyon since 1994, opened the scoring with a header by forward Emmanuel Riviere on 39 minutes.

Argentine striker Lisandro Lopez then gave Lyon a share of the points 11 minutes from time with another header.

"We knew it would be difficult after the Madrid match," Lyon midfielder Kim Kallstrom told the French television channel Orange Sport.

"We started well, then felt really tired early in the second half but managed to recover and would have deserved to win."