Bordeaux defeats Le Mans, Lyon falls to Nice
Last Updated: Saturday, October 24, 2009 | 6:10 PM ET
The Associated Press
Bordeaux's Marouane Chamakh, right, vies for the ball with Le Mans' Ludovic Baal, left, during their French League One soccer match in Bordeaux, France, on Saturday. (Bob Edme/Associated Press)Defending champion Bordeaux moved back to the top of the French league by beating Le Mans 3-0 Saturday in Paris, while Lyon slumped to a second consecutive league defeat with a surprising 4-1 loss at struggling Nice.
Bordeaux, which had lost its two previous league games, has 22 points, one more than Monaco, which secured its seventh win of the season with a 3-1 victory at Boulogne.
"It was not easy to win against a team which played with 10 men in defence," Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc said. "My lads can be happy with their performance tonight."
Promoted Montpellier missed a chance to go to the top after losing 3-0 at Rennes, which climbed to seventh place with 16 points. Montpellier has 20.
Rennes, which has the best defensive record in the league with only six goals conceded, ended Montpellier's three-game winning streak after goals from Sylvain Marveaux, Moussa Sow and Asamoah Gyan.
Following its 2-1 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Bordeaux took the lead when Le Mans goalkeeper Didier Ovono scored an own-goal in the fourth minute. Yoan Gouffran's strike hit the post and then Ovono before crossing the line.
Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh found the net for the first time since Aug. 15 with a powerful header from a corner in the 67th, and David Bellion scored from close range in the 83rd after being left unmarked in the box.
Nice 4, Lyon 1
Four days after winning at Liverpool in the Champions League, Lyon fell to third place with 20 points following its worst loss since a 5-2 defeat at Barcelona in the first knockout stage in last season's European Cup.
"I don't think the score reflects the reality of this match," France midfielder Jeremy Toulalan said.
"We missed a lot of chances while Nice converted its opportunities. It's not the end of the world and we'll try to recover next week at Saint-Etienne."
After a good opening spell, Nice broke the deadlock in the 17th when Mamadou Bagayoko got the better of Lyon defender Cris in the area and headed home from Loic Remy's cross.
Lyon had most of the possession, but Nice doubled the lead when Aly Cissokho scored an own-goal in the 39th. Remy ran down the right flank and delivered a low cross that was deflected in by the Lyon defender, past reserve goalkeeper Remi Vercoutre.
Nice midfielder David Hellebuyck slotted home in the 69th with an angled shot, and Remy completed the rout against his former club in the 74th. Ederson salvaged some pride for Lyon with a consolation goal in the 82nd.
