Brest out of Ligue 1 drop zone with Nantes win

Disappointed Nanates players.
Nantes have dropped into Ligue 1's relegation zone just days after losing the French Cup final. -AP

Brest have moved out of the French league's relegation zone with a 2-0 victory over fellow struggler Nantes.

Jeremy Le Douaron and Mathias Pereira Lage scored in the first half on Wednesday and Brest jumped three spots in the standings to 14th place with five games remaining in the Ligue 1 season.

The victory over their Brittany rivals extended Brest's unbeaten run to six games.

It was their first win over Nantes in eight attempts in all competitions, the last time coming in Ligue 2 back in February 2010.

Nantes, who lost 5-1 to Toulouse in the French Cup final on Saturday, slipped one spot into the relegation zone on goal difference below 16th-placed Strasbourg.

Strasbourg visit Nantes in a most crucial clash on Sunday.

Four teams, as opposed the the usual two, will be relegated from the top tier this season as the French league reduces from 20 to 18 teams next season.