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Posted: Sunday November 8, 2009 1:41PM; Updated: Sunday November 8, 2009 3:12PM

Defending French champ Bordeaux falls to Lille

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PARIS (AP) -- Yohan Cabaye and Florent Balmont scored in the second half as Lille beat defending champion Bordeaux 2-0 in the French league on Sunday.

Bordeaux's third defeat of the season means Lyon can move one point clear at the top if it beats Marseille at Stade Gerland in Sunday's late match.

Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc was angry with his team's performance.

"Why did my team not turn up? I don't have the answer. Lille is clearly our bogey team. We haven't managed to beat them for 2 1/2 years (in the league)," Blanc said. "We knew what to expect, apparently, but maybe I didn't speak in the right language."

Looking tired from their European games in midweek, Lille and Bordeaux canceled each other out in a gritty first half that produced little creativity.

Lille opened the scoring in the 68th minute when Ivory Coast winger Gervinho broke down the left and found Pierre-Alain Frau, whose shot was parried by goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso into the path of Cabaye.

Balmont sealed the win with an 87th-minute penalty after Mickael Ciani fouled Larsen Toure.

Also Sunday, Andre-Pierre Gignac, Moussa Sissoko and Daniel Braaten scored for Toulouse in a 3-2 win over Rennes, which replied with goals from Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan and Kader Mangane.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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