Montpellier second as leaders lose: Ligue 1 reviews

Auxerre 1-0 Bordeaux
Lyon 0-2 Sochaux
Montpellier 2-1 St Etienne
Nancy 0-3 Marseille
Valenciennes 2-0 Grenoble
Le Mans 1-1 Boulogne
Lille 0-0 Rennes
Monaco 2-0 Lens
Lorient 4-1 Nice
Toulouse 1-0 PSG

How long into a season does it take for a club to be considered contenders? Nine games into this new season, promoted Montpellier lie in second spot only one goal behind Lyon after the league leaders and champions were both defeated this week. Perhaps realistically, Montpellier are still a good ten or fifteen points from safety rather than genuine contenders, but this deep into the season, there is no question that they're up there on merit. Lyon and Bordeaux slipped up which meant Montpellier's win over St Etienne promoted them another place. Les Verts contributed to their own downfall by having Yoann Andreu sent off on the stroke of half-time and the south coast club took advantage. Karim Ait Fana blasted one in from close range from a long throw, the St Etienne defence just looked on, and Souleymane Camara got between two defenders to reach Victor Montano's cross. St Etienne pulled one back, Gonzalo Bergessio from the penalty spot after he was fouled, but Montpellier closed it out.

Lyon left a number of big names on the bench ahead of a European week, but still had plenty of quality against Sochaux. Clint Eastwood was in town and took the ceremonial kick-off before the main action started. Perhaps OL were starstruck as Sochaux came flying out of the blocks at them. The warning signs from corners were there and Hugo Lloris got away with coming for one and missing, but not the second, dropped at the feet of Jacques Faty who poked it home. Sochaux kept their illustrious opponents at bay throughout the second half and sealed it with a quick counter attack, Slovan Privat tucking it under Lloris in the last minute. It was a tale of two penalties in the Auxerre-Bordeaux game - one missed and one scored. Yoann Gourcuff only started on the bench, so when Les Girondins were awarded a first half penalty for a crude shove on Wendel, Fernando Cavenaghi was entrusted with the responsibility. His standing foot slipped as he struck the ball and it trickled gently into Olivier Sorin's arms. A mistimed tackle on Cedric Hengbart gave Auxerre a shot from 12 yards quarter of an hour from time and Valter Birsa despatched it bottom left corner.

Monaco move to within two points of the lead with a 2-0 win over Lens which leaves the northerners in trouble. Nene got both, the first latching on to a rebound off the post after just nine minutes, the second a penalty. Marseille and Lorient are a point further back after both won big. Marseille put three past Nancy, Mathieu Valbuena's first league goal for nine months opening the scoring early. Two late ones added a bit of gloss, the referee playing a good advantage in the build up to Brandao's angled strike and Fabrice Abriel smacking one in off the far post. Lorient beat lowly Nice who look in real bother and finished with ten men. Arnold Mvuemba struck from 20 yards to open the scoring shortly before the break and Marama Vahirua doubled the lead shortly after it, captialising on some sloppy handling from the keeper. Loic Remy's delicate free-kick pulled one back, but more sloppy keeping let Sigamary Diarra in for Lorient's third and Kevin Gameiro fired in a fourth in the last minute, though Emerse Fae still had time to get sent off.

Grenoble still remain rooted to the foot of the table with nul points following a ninth straight loss. Mamadou Samassa put Valenciennes ahead after quarter of an hour as the defence watched the ball land at his feet and did next to sod all about it. Six minutes later, Grenoble were caught in possession in their own half and gave away a free-kick, centrally though perhaps 35 yards out. No matter. Fahid Ben Khallfallah smashed it in anyway. A missed penalty late on didn't really spoil things for VA in an easy win against a terrible football side.

Boulogne grabbed a last minute equaliser at Le Mans. Roland Lamah put Le Mans ahead on the hour after Sébastien Corchia's superb free-kick was turned onto the post and rebounded into Lamah's path, but Fabien Robert poked home a loose ball in the third minute of stoppages. Lille and Rennes fought out an entertaining 0-0 draw, the home side indebted to keeper Ludovic Butelle who pulled off an incredible save to deny Jired Ekoko late on. PSG lost again and are only just inside the top half. Toulouse were their conquerors this week thanks to Albin Ebondo's late goal, coming on the end of a quick four-on-three break.