Monaco back in charge

AS Monaco FC recaptured first place in Ligue 1 on Sunday after coming from behind to defeat a spirited Le Mans UC 72 side 4-2 at home.
 
No walkover
The match was meant to be straightforward for Monaco - who face RC Deportivo La Coruña in the UEFA Champions League this week - but bottom side Le Mans led 2-1 in the first half and could have been 3-1 up after hitting the bar.

Cousin blunder
Fernando Morientes scored in the sixth minute with a header but the visitors scored twice in three minutes through striker Daniel Cousin and Laurent Peyrelade. Unfortunately for Cousin he sent a flying header into his own net for Monaco's equaliser and another own goal in the second half sealed his side’s fate.

Temporarily top
Olympique Lyonnais had brushed aside OGC Nice to record a 5-0 victory at the Stade Gerland on Saturday, a result that temporarily moved Paul Le Guen's side top of Ligue 1.

Darcheville goal
Olympique de Marseille, in third, were unable to make ground on the leaders when they went down 1-0 away to FC Girondins de Bordeaux, who took the lead after striker Jean-Claude Darcheville was put clear and slotted past goalkeeper Vedran Runje. The away team were playing with nine men by the end after the prolific Didier Drogba and Philippe Christanval, in only his second league game for the club, were dismissed.

Moreira strike
Paris Saint-Germain FC were overcome 1-0 RC Lens, who were able to collect the three points thanks to a long-range strike from striker Daniel Moreira 12 minutes from time. The Paris club had gone six games without defeat but they were rarely a danger to a side now just one point behind them in sixth place.

Swept aside
On Saturday, Montpellier Hérault SC swept aside FC Nantes Atlantique 4-1. Rui Pataca scored within seconds of the kick-off with a header and added a second when he deflected in a shot by team-mate Habib Bamogo. Defender Mansour Assoumani contributed a third after a defensive blunder by Emerse Fae before Bamogo scored his seventh goal of the season. Sylvain Armand popped up with a late consolation for the visitors.

Easy win
AJ Auxerre, meanwhile, sauntered to a 3-0 away defeat of Toulouse FC, the first of the campaign on their travels. Eduardo Da Silva opened the scoring with an own goal and Bonaventure Kalou added a second with a powerful left-foot shot. Philippe Violeau scored a third in second-half injury time.

Visitors’ delight
EA Guingamp also won away for the first time in the current campaign, overcoming Lille OSC 3-1 with Kemal Bourhani scoring two goals late on - both times from corners - after Nicolas Goussé had struck the opener. There was still time for Benoit Cheyrou to puill one back.

Derby battle
SC Bastia fought out a 1-1 draw at home with AC Ajaccio in the Corsican derby, the hosts going ahead just before the break when Florian Maurice was credited with a deflected goal after a free-kick by Laurent Battles. Hoalid Regragui equalised in the second half with a fine free-kick for a well-drilled Ajaccio side.
 
Frau goal
In other games, FC Metz again struggled at home and they could not recover from Pierre Alain Frau's early lobbed goal in their encounter with FC Sochaux Montbéliard. Stade Rennais FC and RC Strasbourg, meanwhile, battled out a 1-1 draw.