Lorient have gone level on points with Marseille at the top of Ligue 1 courtesy of a 2-1 win over Rennes.
Two goals from Alain Traore were enough to ensure Les Merlus took maximum points at the Stade de la Route de Lorient, despite finishing the game with nine men.
It was the hosts who started better, and Victor Hugo Montana nearly gave them the lead in the 3rd minute. His shot was tipped onto the post by Fabien Audard.
Traore notched his first goal in the 23rd minute, when he beat Benoit Costil with a left-footed shot from distance.
The visitors were reduced to ten men in the 32nd minute, when Maxine Baca was shown a straight red for a late challenge on Jonathan Pitroipa.
That did not deter Traore, who doubled his tally with a superb free kick two minutes before half time.
Christian Gourcuff was left further frustrated by his team's indiscipline when Audard was given his marching orders after he had brought Pitroipa down when he was through on goal early in the second half.
The hosts poured forward as the clock ticked down, desperately trying to make the most of their two-man advantage.
They were rewarded when Pitroipa struck in the 71st minute to hand them a lifeline, but Frederic Antoinetti's charges could not find an equaliser.
The results means that Les Rouges et Noirs remain in the bottom three.
Michael Penkman
