PARIS: Olympique Lyon and AS Monaco remain level on points in the race for second place in Ligue 1 and after home victories over Ajaccio and Guingamp respectively on Saturday, setting up an enticing match between the two teams in the penultimate round next weekend.

Rachid Ghezzal scored direct from a corner as second-placed Lyon beat relegation-threatened Ajaccio 2-1, while Monaco survived a late wobble to see off Guingamp 3-2 at home.

Lyon and Monaco have 62 points with two matches left and the former ahead on goal difference before their mouthwatering clash next weekend at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais.

The team which finishes second will join champions Paris St Germain in the Champions League group stage, while the third-placed side enters the competition at the third qualifying round.

Rachid Ghezzal and Maxwel Cornet gave Lyon a comfortable halftime lead before Gregory Pujol reduced the deficit five minutes into the second half.

“We need to prepare well for Monaco,” Lyon’s Samuel Umtiti told Canal Plus. “If we play like that, it will be hard to win.”

Monaco were also 2-0 up at the break after goals from Lacina Traore and Nabil Dirar. Mevlut Erding got Guingamp back in the match but Bernardo Silva restored his side’s two-goal cushion.

Benjamin Angoua scored Guingamp’s second nine minutes from time to set up a nervous finish for the home side, but Monaco held on for what could prove to be crucial points.

“It was a deserved victory, now we are going to play ‘the final’ [at Lyon],” said Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim.

Earlier, St Etienne saw their Champions League hopes diminish after being held 0-0 at home by Toulouse but moved into fourth on 58 points.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2016