Ligue 1 - Beckham sent off as PSG match ends in chaos

Paris St Germain won 1-0 away at Evian in a match marred by the sending off of David Beckham.

Eurosport - 2013David Beckham (C) of Paris St-Germain challenges Youssef Adnane (L) of Evian Thonon Gaillard to receive a red card during their French Ligue 1 soccer match in Annecy April 28, 2013

Javier Pastore's goal early in the second half was enough for PSG to secure a win, and Carlo Ancelotti's side can wrap up the Ligue 1 title next weekend.

But the headlines will be dominated by an extraordinary straight red card for Beckham, who only came on with six minutes left but received his marching orders in controversial circumstances in injury time for a challenge deemed overly aggressive by referee Olivier Thuai.

The decision was outrageously harsh on the English veteran: Beckham had tangled with Youssef Adnane, and appeared to have won the ball cleanly until Adnane's theatrical reaction convinced the match official that the 37-year-old had swiped him in the face.

The red card stood despite PSG protests, and meant that the champions elect ended the match with nine men: Marco Verratti had also been sent off for PSG with nine minutes left after picking up the ball to protest a decision and earning a second yellow card.

But Beckham's dismissal proved the final straw for both sets of players, with a mass brawl breaking out at full time. Evian's Saber Khlifa was shown a red card while PSG's goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu apparently avoided a red only by running off to his changing room before Thuai could catch up with him.

The bizarre scenes marked the end of an ugly week in French football following the mass brawl in Marseille's win on Saturday.

The mass brawl erupted after the final whistle, during which Khlifa was shown a red card by Thual, who also asked for Sirigu to join him back on the pitch.

In a surreal scene, Sirigu was walking back towards the field but made a u-turn after being ordered to by a PSG representative.

It was not clear whether Sirigu was handed a red card.

"This kind of thing happens in a football game, tempers flared a little bit, that's all," PSG defender Christophe Jallet told French television Canal Plus.

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

Olympique Lyon stayed third on 60 points after Yoann Gourcuff's second-half strike salvaged a 1-1 home draw against arch rivals St Etienne earlier on Sunday.

Relegation-threatened Evian, who eliminated PSG from the French Cup quarter-finals last week, were not that lucky this time.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's fierce 25-metre shot was saved by Bertrand Laquait as PSG got off to a good start.

Evian had their first chance in the eighth minute when Khlifa's dipping shot from the edge of the box went just over Sirigu's crossbar.

Laquait was then at it again to deny Ibrahimovic's soft volley from Maxwell's free kick.

PSG's Ezequiel Lavezzi later showed another example of his clumsiness by fluffing a shot after collecting a brilliant pass from Ibrahimovic.

However, the breakthrough came when Pastore curled a shot from just inside the box past Laquait to put PSG ahead in the 50th minute.

Ibrahimovic and Lavezzi each missed a sitter shortly after the hour as PSG looked close to doubling their tally.

The Sweden striker, in front of an open goal after Verratti's shot had bounced off the bar and into his path, skied his attempt over the bar while his Argentine team mate inexplicably failed to find the net after dribbling past Laquait.

Sirigu then pulled off a brilliant save to deny Khlifa's powerful shot and PSG remained under pressure, especially after Verratti was sent off.

The Italian midfielder was shown a second yellow card when he argued with the referee and was yelled at by coach Carlo Ancelotti as he passed by on his way back to the dressing room.

Beckham did not receive the same treatment after he was given his marching orders. The former England captain seemed to be only trying to protect the ball as he clashed with Adnane but Thual judged that his right foot was too high.

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

Gourcuff's strike cancelled out Kurt Zouma's first-half opener as Lyon remained two points ahead of fourth-placed St Etienne.

The top two Ligue 1 teams directly qualify for the Champions League group stage while the third-placed side go into the playoffs.

St Etienne, who had already secured a Europa League spot by wining the League Cup last weekend, started brightly at Gerland stadium and were rewarded for their efforts just before the half-hour mark when Zouma headed home Yohan Mollo's corner kick.

The goal triggered some anger in the crowd and the game was held up for two minutes as flares were thrown in the stands.

St Etienne's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a couple of great chances either side of the break but wasted them with weak shooting.

Lyon increased the pressure in the second half and deservedly drew level on 54 minutes when Gourcuff collected a clever back heel from Clement Grenier and hit a rising shot on the turn.

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.