Paris, Sept 25: Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Montpellier 3-0 on Saturday to go joint top of the French league with Lyon.
Lyon, which had earlier beaten Bordeaux 3-1, PSG and Toulouse are level on 17 points from eight matches. PSG and Lyon have a better goal difference than Toulouse but PSG is ahead of Lyon in the fair-play standings based on the number of bookings.
Meanwhile, Marseille and Lille struggled to live up to their billing as title contenders as they conceded stoppage-time goals. Lille drew 1-1 with Lorient and Marseille was held 1-1 at Valenciennes.
Also Saturday, it was: Toulouse 1, Nancy 0; Evian 2, Caen 4; and Nice 1, Dijon 1.
In its first serious test this season, PSG justified the investment of £85 million made this summer by sweeping aside the team that started the day top of the standings.
Striker Kevin Gameiro opened the scoring by tucking home a cross from Brazilian midfielder Nene in the 39th minute.
Pastore added a second goal in the 43rd with a spectacular volley and sealed the win from a tight angle in the 80th.
“This victory is very important for the rest of the season,” PSG midfielder Blaise Matuidi told the club's website. “We showed that we're a force to be reckoned with.”
In Lyon, striker Bafetimbi Gomis put the hosts ahead by converting a low cross from Brazilian winger Michel Bastos after seven minutes and doubled the lead in the 33rd with his sixth goal of the season after some fine work from playmaker Clement Grenier.
Bastos made it 3-0 by chipping goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso in the 64th before Anthony Modeste scored a consolation goal in the 86th, converting a penalty kick after centerback Dejan Lovren tripped him.
“It was nice to quickly take the lead tonight and then control the match, especially since we play every three days,” Lyon coach Remi Garde told the club's website.
“Michel (Bastos) proved decisive tonight. His relationship with Bafetimbi (Gomis) is good. It's the result of a lot of work and of a good team spirit.”
In Toulouse, Turkish forward Umut Bulut flicked home a cross from Franck Tabanou in the 59th to give his team the victory.
In Lille, former England international Joe Cole, on loan from Liverpool, scored his first goal in the French league with a powerful strike from 25 yards into the top corner in the 34th.
But the defending champion failed to hang onto the lead as Kevin Monnet-Paquet beat goalkeeper Mickael Landreau in the third minute of stoppage time for the equalizer.
“Nice goal, but disappointed we didn't manage to hold on to the win,” Cole told Canal Plus television.
Lille remained in sixth place, four points behind the leaders.
In Valenciennes, Jose Saez salvaged a draw for the hosts with a goal in the third minute of injury time after Souleymane Diawara chested the ball to fire into the bottom corner for Marseille in the 16th.
Marseille had defender Rod Fanni sent off just before halftime for a foul on Foued Kadir. Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda stopped the ensuing spot kick by forward Gregory Pujol.
“In our situation, it's a bad result,” Marseille coach Didier Deschamps told the club's website. “It's cruel to lose this match at this moment. It really hurts given the efforts we have produced.”
The pressure will still be on Marseille in the next round as it trails the leaders by 10 points.
Both Evian and Caen finished their match with 10 men.
Caen went ahead in the 11th when M'Baye Niang scored with a long-range drive but had Lenny Nangis sent off in the 24th when he picked up a second yellow card.
Evian capitalized on its numerical advantage as midfielder Cedric Barbosa powered home headers in the 34th and 39th to give the hosts the lead.
But Evian also lost a man on the stroke of halftime when Aldo Angoula received a second yellow card and Caen midfielder Gregory Proment leveled in the 45th.
Caen took a 3-2 lead with a solo run from midfielder Frederic Bulot in the 69th and Bulot then set up Ivory Coast forward Kandia Traore for a fourth goal in the 72nd.
In Nice, Franck Dja Djedje volleyed home in the last minute of normal time to earn a point for the hosts. Midfielder Benjamin Corgnet had put Dijon ahead in the 15th.
On Sunday, Rennes hosts Saint-Etienne, Sochaux visits Auxerre and Brest faces Ajaccio. AP
