France round-up: Nice keep run going
Wednesday, September 11, 2002
Article summary
OGC Nice's dream start continued with victory over ten-man Olympique de Marseille.
Article body
OGC Nice's dream start to the Ligue 1 season continued with a 2-0 defeat of ten-man Olympique de Marseille in the Mediterranean derby.
Nine red cards
The victory keeps promoted Nice top of the division on 13 points. By contrast, Paris Saint-Germain FC had a night to forget, losing for the first time this season 2-1 at Lille OSC in an ill-tempered game where four players were sent off. There was confusion whether LOSC's Australian Mile Sterjovski was dismissed or not in the dying seconds but referee Stéphane Moulin explained he had brandished the card twice at PSG's Frédéric Dehu. In all, nine red cards were shown in the nine games played tonight.
Caught on the counter
In Nice, the game turned the home side's way in the 52nd minute when Marseille defender Abdoulaye Meite was sent off for a foul on Kaba Diawara and Brazil's Everson opened the scoring from the resulting free-kick. Marseille had dominated most of the first half, which was marked by minor crowd trouble between rival fans. Despite being a man down, Marseille continued to attack but were caught on a counterattack by Togo's Adekanmi Olufade in the 81st minute.
LOSC win
LOSC scored their first victory of the season against PSG, each goal closely following a red card. The home side took the upper hand thanks to Bulgarian Vladimir Manchev on the half hour shortly after PSG captain Mauricio Pochettino was sent off. LOSC's Romanian defender Marius Baciu was in turn shown a red card shortly before the break.
Manchev grabs winner
Ronaldinho, who was starting a PSG game for the first time since winning the FIFA World Cup with Brazil, equalised with a 48th-minute penalty but following the dismissal of Aloisio on 70 minutes Manchev grabbed the winner for LOSC. Two more players, PSG's Dehu and Lille's Sterjovski, were apparently shown a red card as the game ended, but only Dehu was sanctioned.
Roux equals record
AJ Auxerre beat Bastia SC 1-0 thanks to a goal by new recruit Benjamin Mwaruwari on a night coach Guy Roux celebrated a record-equalling 782nd game in charge. It finished 2-2 between FC Sochaux-Montbéliard and bottom-placed Stade Rennais FC - a match that both sides finished with ten men - while Jean-Claude Darcheville's first goal for FC Girondins de Bordeaux secured a 1-0 win over ES Troyes Aube-Champagne.
