French League Weekly Review

Big-spending Paris St Germain picked up their first win of the new Ligue 1 season with a hard fought 2-1 victory over Valenciennes at the Parc des Princes on Sunday evening.

Marquee signing Javier Pastore featured in the PSG squad in a league match for the first time, albeit on the bench, but it was fellow new signing Kevin Gameiro who put the hosts ahead late in the first half.

Valenciennes are yet to pick up a win this season but struck back on the stroke of half-time through Remi Gomis before a Nene penalty secured Antoine Kombouare's side their first three points of the season.

Marseille played out their third successive draw - 0-0 at home to St Etienne.

Didier Deschamps' men edged the first half and came close to taking the lead when Loic Remy hit the post.

Les Verts also hit the woodwork after the break, Bakary Sako volleying against the bar after 56 minutes.

St Etienne played with 10 men for the final five minutes after Jean-Pascal Mignot was given a second yellow card for a crude tackle on Alou Diarra.

Montpellier's dream start to the Ligue 1 season got better as they smashed four goals past Rennes without reply to maintain their perfect record.

After Younnes Belhanda's first-half penalty the hosts surged to a comprehensive win after the interval with Geoffrey Dernis on target before a late Souleymane Camara double.

Montpellier have now won their opening three games, including an impressive 1-0 success at champions Lille last weekend, and scored eight goals while conceding just once.

Sochaux overcame the dismissal of Carlao to earn their first win of the Ligue 1 season on Sunday, winning 2-1 against Nancy.

Both teams had come into the fixture with just a single point from their opening two matches, and it was the visitors who took control with goals from Mathieu Peybernes and Sloan Privat.

A red card for Brazilian defender Carlao and a penalty to Nancy, scored by Youssouf Hadji, threatened to undo all the hard work but Sochaux clung on for the victory.

On Saturday, substitute Adrien Regattin grabbed a last-gasp equalizer to earn Ligue 1 leaders Toulouse a 1-1 draw against Nice in a dramatic ending to their match at the Stade Municipal du Ray.

The hosts looked to be heading for their first win of the season thanks to Anthony Mounier's 31st-minute goal.

But Regattin's fine volley rescued a point for TFC, who had substitute Ahmed Soukouna sent off in stoppage time for a second bookable offence.

Eric Mouloungui had the chance to win it for Nice with a 96th-minute penalty but his spot-kick was saved.

Elsewhere on Saturday, champions Lille enjoyed their first league win of the season, 2-1 against Caen to end their opponents' 100% start.

Having taken just a point from their opening two fixtures, the pressure was on Rudi Garcia's side to produce the goods at the Stade Michel d'Ornano.

And they rose to the challenge thanks to second-half goals from Benoit Pedretti and Mathieu Debuchy.

Benjamin Nivet replied from the spot in stoppage time but it was too little too late for the home side.

Promoted Dijon also picked up their first league win of the campaign - 2-0 - at the expense of Lorient.

Gregory Thil gave Patrice Carteron's side the perfect start by opening the scoring in the third minute.

It looked like the game may have swung away from them when Abdoulaye Meite was sent off before half-time for a foul on Julien Quercia, but Lorient could not make the most of their numerical advantage and Brice Jovial added a second goal for the hosts two minutes from time.

Ten-man Lyon came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw at Brest as both sides continued their unbeaten starts.

Brest midfielder Benoit Lesoimier gave the hosts an early lead and it looked as though they would hang on for the win when Sidy Kone was dismissed just after the hour.

But Bafetimbi Gomis struck not long after the red card to secure a share of the spoils for Les Gones.

Bordeaux and Auxerre both remained without a win this season after battling out a 1-1 draw at the Stade Chaban Delmas.

In a match played in temperatures that reached 36 degrees at times, Bordeaux went in front midway through the first half through Yoan Gouffran's first goal of the season.

But Auxerre responded at a similar stage of the second half, with Alain Traore ensuring his side returned home with a share of the spoils.

Kevin Berigaud's late equalizer earned Evian a 1-1 draw at Ajaccio after Frederic Sammaritano's early goal had given the hosts the lead in an encounter between two promoted clubs.