18.02.2018 19:43 h

Lyon lose more ground in Champions League race

Bertrand Traore struck twice but Lyon fell further behind their rivals for a Champions League berth in France after surrendering a two-goal lead in Sunday's 2-2 draw at struggling Lille.

Burkina Faso forward Traore, who joined from Chelsea last July, scored twice in the first half as Lyon looked on course for a welcome victory following three successive defeats in Ligue 1.

But goals after the break from Nicolas Pepe and Brazilian striker Luiz Araujo earned Christophe Galtier's side a point that left Lille just one place above the relegation zone.

Lyon looked the side most capable of troubling Paris Saint-Germain after beating the league leaders in January, but a subsequent rotten run of form means they could finish the weekend six points adrift of third-placed Marseille.

Rudi Garcia's men host in-form Bordeaux later on Sunday at the Velodrome.

Earlier, Nice captain Dante scored his first Ligue 1 goal for the club in a 1-1 draw with Claudio Ranieri's Nantes to snap a four-match losing run.

The result bumped Nantes back up to fifth, while Mario Balotelli's Nice -- who lost 3-2 to Lokomotiv Moscow in the Europa League on Thursday -- are ninth after halting their recent slide.

Nantes goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu had a busy and effective afternoon but Dante got a toe to a loose ball in a scramble to give last season's third-place finishers a fifth-minute lead at the Allianz Riviera.

The 34-year-old Dante joined Nice from Wolfsburg in 2016 and this was his first strike for them in 55 league games.

The equaliser for Ranieri's visitors came courtesy of an Emiliano Sala penalty on 27 minutes as the Argentine striker netted his 11th goal of the campaign.

Atlantic coast outfit Nantes appointed Ranieri, who won the Premier League with Leicester, just ahead of the current campaign when Sergio Conceicao quit to join Porto.

PSG defeated Strasbourg 5-2 on Saturday to remain perfect at home this campaign, while second-placed Monaco thumped Dijon 4-0 on Friday.