29 Apr 2013

Beckham gets red card but PSG win with nine men

11:22 am on 29 April 2013

David Beckham picked up a straight red card as his French team Paris St Germain finished with nine men - but they continued their march towards a first French league title in 19 years with a chaotic 1-0 win at relegation-threatened Evian Thonon Gaillard.

Evian eliminated PSG from the French Cup quarter-finals last week but Javier Pastore scored the only goal five minutes into the second half to put leaders PSG on 73 points, nine ahead of second-placed Olympique Marseille with four matches left.

Beckham, who came on as a second-half substitute, was shown a straight red for a foul on Youssef Adnane two minutes into stoppage time after Marco Verratti had been sent off in the 80th when he picked up a second yellow card.

A mass brawl erupted after the final whistle and Evian's Saber Khlifa was shown a red card by referee Olivier Thual.

PSG will be crowned champions for the first time since 1994 next Monday if they get more points against Valenciennes at home than Olympique Marseille pick up against Bastia at the Stade Velodrome.

Earlier, Lyon stayed on a course for a Champions League qualifying spot after avoiding defeat in the derby against St Etienne.

Nice are still in the European mix after a 3-1 home win against almost doomed bottom club Troyes left them in sixth place, three points behind Lyon.