Nancy scores in the dying minutes

Nancy scored in the dying minutes to keep the French league title race alive heading into the three-week winter break with a thrilling 1-1 draw against leaders Lyon on Saturday.

The draw keeps the status quo at the top of the table with Pablo Correa's surprise package this season just four points off Alain Perrin's six-time champions at the half-way stage.

Former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker Milan Baros looked to have wrapped up the tie for Lyon with just ten minutes to full time, and against the flow of play, when the Nancy defence were caught too high on a counter attack.

A through ball was met by Baros darting in from the right who then found himself alone in front of keeper Gennaro Bracigliano.

After taking the ball further into the box the Czech Republic international calmly slotted home past the advancing Bracigliano to silence the Marcel-Picot stadium.

However, the chilly evening was soon heated up when Nancy levelled the tie seven minutes later after a poorly cleared corner landed squarely on the boot Chris Malonga.

Malonga's powerful volley was deflected by Lyon defender Francois Clerc, wrong-footing deputy goalkeeper Remy Vercoutre for the equalizer and a share of the spoils.

"I am happy to have won a point, but especially disappointed with the result," said Nancy coach Correa.

"If there is to be one happy team out there, it's Lyon. We dominated."

He added: "It's encouraging for the future, we were able to rattle the club that reigns in France."

Neither team had been firing on all cylinders heading into the encounter and albeit an entertaining draw the result handed Nancy their fourth consecutive stalemate while Lyon have been left hunting their first win in three matches.

"I knew we would have trouble getting into this game and a point was the minimum objective," said Lyon boss Perrin.

Perrin added that "Nancy did not deserve to lose" the match and that his side "were not in control" during the game that was played in freezing temperatures.

That was a point of view shared by Lyon goalkeeper Vercoutre, who is standing in for the injured number one shotstopper Gregory Coupet.

"We had trouble out there, but we take a point away with us, something few clubs will do (this season).

"Despite the weather conditions, it is good to come away from Nancy with a point."

Saturday's late kick-offs include fourth-placed Le Mans against Marseille.

Sunday's north French derby between Lens and Lille has been postponed due to a frozen pitch.