PARIS (AP) — Lorient missed the occasion to move to the top of the French league after drawing 10-man Reims 0-0 at home on Saturday.
The Brittany side would have leapfrogged leader Paris Saint-Germain by extending its excellent run to a seventh consecutive win but could not find a breach in Reims’ solid defense.
Reims finished with just nine players after Emmanuel Agbadou received a straight red card for an horrendous tackle on Dango Ouattara in added time. The visitors were reduced to 10 at the start of the second half.
PSG and Lorient are level on points. PSG hosts third-placed Marseille on Sunday, with only three points separating those bitter rivals.
Reims, which fired coach Oscar Garcia this week, sits one point above the relegation zone.
Lorient is off to its best ever start in the league. After 11 games, the team coached by Regis Le Bris has already won as many matches as last season — eight — when Lorient escaped relegation with one game to spare.
Le Bris replaced Christophe Pelissier after 10 years in charge of the club’s academy. Players have gelled quickly as a team under his helm, with winger Dango Ouattara a revelation up front alongside Terem Moffi.
Reims was under pressure immediately and found itself exposed every time Ouattara accelerated down the right flank.
Ouattara and Moffi combined for Lorient’s first chance before Ouattara fired a header over the bar from Enzo Le Fée’s free kick in the 15th minute. The hosts came close to opening the scoring soon after at the conclusion of a fine move of one-touch football, with Ouattara forcing a save by goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf.
Moffi did not last long after twisting his ankle early in the match. He tried to solider on but was replaced by Ibrahima Koné in the 25th minute, looking dejected as Lorient fans chanted his name.
Reims enjoyed a good spell after Moffi’s injury and had a good chance through Marshall Munetsi, whose effort from inside the box in the 26th ended wide.
Reims was reduced to 10 men just after the interval when Dion Lopy received a second yellow card for a foul on Ouattara.
Lens later hosted Montpellier.
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