Manager Rene Girard has singled out Salomon Kalou for praise after Lille came from behind against Bastia to keep pace with the Ligue 1 leaders.

Ludovic Genest had given Bastia an early lead at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, before the former Chelsea striker struck a brace to earn Lille a 2-1 win on Sunday.

"In the second half, we went to sleep a little, but it was a good evening," Girard told reporters. "We have to be more confident in the second half, we were too timid.

"It's a bit of a shame, but I'm not going to get angry with them after what happened to us at Bordeaux [when we lost 1-0].

"We had to be patient with Kalou. Those kinds of players have times where things are going for them and others when it's not. Today, it did, and he scored twice and could have even had three."

Marseille are four points adrift of league leaders Paris Saint-Germain, sitting third in the Ligue 1 table.

Written by
Matt Cotton