Nancy, Bastia relegated as curtain comes down on Ligue 1

Paris May 21 (IANS) Nancy and Bastia were unlucky to suffer relegation into French second-tier league in different manners as the curtain was down on Ligue 1 football championships.

A 3-1 home win against Saint-Etienne on Saturday was not sufficient for Nancy to remain in the top-flight league as 18th-ranked Lorient bagged one point from a 1-1 draw with Bordeaux. Lorient were set to put up two-leg Ligue 1 playoffs with third-placed side Troyes of Ligue 2 later this month reports Xinhua news agency.

Bastia were reduced to the bottom after losing 0-1 to Marseille who got an automatic spot in next season s Europa League after finishing fifth on the table. Strasbourg and Amiens got promotion after finishing top two in Ligue 2 on Friday.

In his finale at Parc des Princes 35-year-old Brazilian defender Maxwell wore the captain s armband for Paris Saint-Germain who failed to defend the title after Monaco won midweek s rescheduled match against Saint Etienne.

Facing relegation-threatened Caen PSG went ahead on 13 minutes on midfielder Adrien Rabiot whose shot outside the penalty area beat goalkeeper Remy Vercoutre.

Edinson Cavani Ligue 1 top scorer with 35 goals failed to find the target as his header was cleared before the goalline early in the second half.

Ronny Rodelin missed a penalty in the 74th minute while making amends for that with a close-range shot in stoppage time.

After the game an emotional Maxwell received home crowds ovation for his contribution to the capital club during his five-year spell.

Monaco could not see a better way to celebrate their first league title since 2000 than a 3-2 road victory over Rennes setting up a new record of 12 consecutive victories in a single season overshadowing Bordeaux s 11 in 2008-2009. Their tally of 107 league goals was also a single-season record.

Top scorer Alexandre Lacazette finished a brace in Lyon s 3-3 draw with third-ranked Nice at home which was his last match for the club after revealing his departure at the end of the season.

Elsewhere Angers beat Montpellier 2-0 Guingamp edged past Metz 1-0 Lille crushed over Nantes 3-0 and Toulouse tied 0-0 with Dijon.

--IANS
gau/vt