A late goal by right-back Mathieu Debuchy gave Lille a 1-0 win at Lorient that moves them within eight points of leaders Paris Saint-Germain and keeps their title defence alive.
Lille had won just four of their previous 11 games in all competitions and were beaten 5-4 by Bordeaux in an extraordinary game last weekend.
However Debuchy’s goal on Saturday gives them the edge in the battle for the third Champions League place.
The champions are seven points behind second-placed Montpellier but enjoy a three-point lead over fourth-placed Lyon and fifth-placed Rennes, both of whom play on Sunday.
“It’s a real satisfaction not to concede a goal and to win with a good old-fashioned 1-0,” said Lille coach Rudi Garcia, whose team visit Sochaux in a postponed game on Wednesday.
“The match deserved more goals, particularly for Lorient but Micka (Landreau) was extraordinary. It’s a great victory.”
The visitors enjoyed the best of a high-quality first half at Stade du Moustoir but Franck Beria was unable to convert a pinpoint cross from Joe Cole and Debuchy saw a close-range effort repelled by Lorient goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte.
Lorient had their moments too, however. Beria was fortunate not to concede a penalty for apparently tugging Ladislas Douniama to the ground, while goalkeeper Mickael Landreau was fully extended by a free-kick from Arnold Mvuemba.
The second half was largely bereft of goal-mouth incident until Debuchy struck in the 76th minute, latching on to Benoit Pedretti’s dinked pass and squeezing a low shot in off the near post for his fifth goal of the season.
Marseille, sixth at the start of the day, can close to within a point of Lille with victory at home to Valenciennes later on Saturday.
Lyon visit Bordeaux on Sunday and Rennes travel to eighth-placed Saint-Etienne.
The headline clash of the weekend sees PSG host closest rivals Montpellier at Parc des Princes on Sunday evening.
PSG go into the game with a one-point lead at the summit, while both teams are yet to taste defeat in 2012.
At the other end of the table, the basement battle between bottom club Sochaux and Auxerre ended in a goalless draw that allowed Auxerre to climb one place to 18th.
Former Lyon winger Sidney Govou claimed his first league goal for Evian with an injury-time volley at Caen that rescued a 2-2 draw for the promoted side.
On-loan Chelsea forward Gael Kakuta scored his third goal in four appearances and made another for Brice Jovial as Dijon won 3-0 at home to Nice to send Rene Marsiglia’s side down to second-bottom.
Toulouse rose to seventh with a 3-0 success at Nancy, while Ajaccio were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Brest.
