Stunning Sochaux comeback dents Lille's Euro hopes

LILLE, France: Relegation threatened Sochaux scored three times in an eight-minute spell at the death to salvage a 3-3 draw at Lille on Friday and hamper their hosts' hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

Cruising at 3-0 up with 11 minutes left through a Salomon Kalou brace and one from Montenegrin Marko Basa, Lille looked set to leapfrog Lyon into third place and a Champions League qualifying position.

But an incredible eight-minute blast from Sochaux, who nevertheless remain third from bottom and in the drop zone, blew a hole in Lille's Euro hopes.

Cedric Kante set Sochaux on their way before Vincent Noguiera twice found the target.

It means Lille remain fifth, behind Saint-Etienne, but could drop three points off a Champions League place while a win for Nice at home to rock bottom Troyes on Sunday would move them level on points with Lille in the race for fifth place, and a Europa League berth.

League leaders Paris Saint-Germain could all but mathematically sew up the title on Sunday with a victory at Evian.

If Marseille lose at Lorient and Lyon fail to beat Saint-Etienne in their local derby, PSG would need only one more point to be champions.

But even then, with a +40 goal difference compared to Marseille's +5, only a remarkable swing could keep the title out of Parisian hands at the end of the season.

Sochaux are level on points with both Nancy and Evian, and just one behind Ajaccio, in the race to escape relegation. (AFP)