Lyon in control as champions Montpellier fall

Lyon’s forward Bafetimbi Gomis (R) celebrates after scoring a goal during their French L1 football match against Troyes at the Gerland Stadium in Lyon. Gomis scored a double as Lyon moved top of Ligue 1 with a 4-1 home win against promoted Troyes.

PARIS - Bafetimbi Gomis scored a double as Lyon moved top of Ligue 1 with a 4-1 home win against promoted Troyes on Saturday 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.

Earlier 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.

Lorient’s goalkeeper Fabien Audard catches the ball during their French L1 football match against Montpellier at the Moustoir Stadium in Lorient, western France. Lorient won 2-1.

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.

Monpellier coach Rene Girard may have claimed he was “not overly worried” after his side drew 1-1 in the opener to Toulouse.

But the manner in which the champions lost on Saturday must be a cause for concern as they slumped to 13th position.

The southerners had looked on their way to victory before Traore’s powerful shot from 25 metres out, one minute into injury-time, and then, two minutes later, Aliadiere’s winner caused wild celebrations in Brittany.

Nice’s forward Eric Bautheac (R) clashes with Valenciennes’s midfielder Remi Gomis during their French L1 football match at the Stade du Hainaut in the French northern city of Valenciennes. Nice were held to their second straight stalemate – a goalless draw at Valenciennes.

A week after holding PSG, Lorient lie third, two points behind Lyon and surprise newcomers Bastia, who grabbed a later 2-1 victory over Reims, with Lille fourth after a 1-1 draw against Nancy on Friday.

Elsewhere, Claude Puel is still looking for his first win as Nice coach as the Riviera outfit were held to their second straight stalemate – a goalless draw at Valenciennes.

Toulouse won 2-1 at home against Saint-Etienne as Brest earned a late victory over Evian thanks to a Paul Baysse strike in the dying minutes.

On 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.