Gignac stars as Marseille stay perfect

PARIS (AFP) –

Marseille’s French midfielder Andre-Pierre Gignac (3rd R) scores a goal during the French L1 football match between Olympique of Marseille and Sochaux at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France. Marseille defeated Sochaux 2-0

Marseille made it two wins in two games to go joint top of the French first division on Sunday as the former European champions put a little more distance between them and their dismal 10th place finish last season.

Inspired by unpredictable striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, Marseille defeated Sochaux 2-0 at the Stade Velodrome to go level on six points with leaders Lyon, but in second place on goal difference.

Bastia and Bordeaux also have two wins from two games.

With Loic Remy missing with a thigh strain, former Toulouse star Gignac took centre-stage for Marseille, scoring the opener after 53 minutes before Rod Fanni grabbed the second in injury time.

Gignac’s goal was reward after he had come close on three occasions in the first half to open the scoring.

Bordeaux maintained their 100 percent start with a 1-0 win over Rennes thanks to a 75th minute strike from Ludovic Obraniak.

It was Bordeaux’s eighth successive win in Ligue 1 over Rennes but a stiffer test awaits Francis Gillot’s men next weekend when they travel to the capital to meet Paris Saint Germain.

Later Sunday, PSG travel to Ajaccio looking for a first win of the season but without Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic who has failed to recover from a minor foot injury.

Ibrahimovic sustained the knock in last week’s opening league match against Lorient, meaning he also missed his country’s 3-0 midweek defeat by Brazil.

On Saturday, Bafetimbi Gomis scored a double as Lyon went top with a 4-1 home win against promoted Troyes as champions Montpellier fell to a shock 2-1 defeat at Lorient.

Montpellier had led until the dying minutes after Emanuel Herrera’s 37th-minute opener but late strikes from Alain Traore and Jeremy Aliadiere gave the Brittany outfit their first win of the season.

Lyon kept their unbeaten record and their cool despite temperatures reaching 37 degrees celsius and losing midfielder Yoann Gourcuff to a right knee injury after just six minutes.

The French international, who has had a promising start to the season after a 2011-12 blighted by injury, is suffering from suspected ligament damage.

Gourcuff was forced off the pitch with a right knee sprain and was replaced by Clement Grenier who nevertheless had a positive impact on the match.

Despite the hosts dominating, Troyes took the lead when on loan Paris Saint Germain striker Jean-Christophe Bahebeck picked up a Fabrice N’Sakala cross from the left wing after 47 minutes.

But Gomis levelled four minutes later with a header off a Grenier corner. Brazilian striker Michel Bastos gave Lyon their second on 66 minutes with an acrobatic pick up of a Yohann Thuram-Ulien cross.

Argentinian Lisandro Lopez (88) was also on target before Gomis added his second two minutes into injury time to ensure Lyon won their opening two games for the first time since the 2005-2006 season.