Johan Elmander grabbed the winner a minute from time as 10 man Lyon were sunk by Toulouse in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
It looked like the champions were going to survive the 1st half sending off of Kim Kallstrom, for foul and abusive language, when Elmander struck late on, the Sweden forward pouncing on Achille Emana's short pass and stroking home from close range.
Marseille failed to find a cutting edge for the 2nd week in succession as Rennes claimed a deserved point at the Stade Velodrome.
After starting the campaign with a stalemate against Strasbourg last weekend, OM would have been hoping for much more a week later.
But their strikeforce malfunctioned once again, lone forward Djibril Cisse again failing to receive any service, and by the end of the match it was Rennes who were more likely to score.
The point means the Brittany club get off the mark following their disppointing 2-0 home defeat to Nancy a week ago.
Le Mans overcame an early setback to move top with a convincing 3-1 away triumph at Sochaux.
Rudy Garcia's side collected their 2nd successive triumph thanks to a fantastic hat trick from Brazilian forward Tulio De Melo, after Valter Birsa had fired the hosts ahead.
It was sweet revenge for the visitors against a team now managed by Frederic Hantz who left Le Mans to take the Sochaux position in the summer.
Nancy also moved into the leading group at the top of the table with a 1-0 triumph over Caen.
Brazilian forward Kim scored the only goal after 7 minutes as Nancy earned their 2nd triumph of the season, keeping a 2nd clean-sheet in the process.
And Bordeaux made it 2 wins out of 2 after a pair of goals from Wendel da Silva sent them to a comfortable 2-0 win over Auxerre at the Stade l'Abbe-Deschamps.
The Brazilian winger scored either side of half time, however the game will also be remembered for another double, 2 missed penalties from Auxerre forward Toifilou Maoulida.
Pascal Feindouno scored twice as St Etienne defeated Valenciennes 3-1 to claim their 1st win of the season.
St Etienne troubled Valenciennes with their pace as Feindouno found the net twice in the 2nd half after Bafetimbi Gomis' 1st half strike. Substitute Johan Audel replied for the visitors.
2 goals from Rafik Saifi helped Lorient claim their 1st 3 points of the campaign with a narrow 2-1 win over Monaco at Le Moustoir.
Christian Gourcuff's side preserved their unbeaten start to the campaign in impressive fashion, however rode their luck in the closing stages as the visitors came close to rescuing a point after Serge Gakpe had pulled one back.
Vincent Hognon scored an 86th minute winner for Nice to secure a narrow 1-0 win over 10 man Strasbourg at the Stade de Ray.
Hognon managed to wrongfoot keeper Stephane Cassard by deflecting David Hellebuyck's free kick into the net in the closing stages to leave the visitors reeling.
It had looked as though they had secured a brave point after Manuel Dos Santos was sent off only seconds after the interval for collecting a 2nd yellow card.
The win moved Nice on to 3 points from their opening 2 games, whilst newly-promoted Strasbourg still remain stranded without a win.
07 August 2007
New Lyon signing Mathieu Bodmer failed to make his league debut for Lyon on Saturday as coach Alain Perrin kept him benched during his side's 2-0 triumph over Auxerre. Whilst Bodmer accepts competition, he's clearly stated that he will not wait around forever...
Lyon's Mathieu Bodmer watched from the bench as his new club strolled to a convincing 2-0 triumph over Auxerre. Whilst he clearly wished to be on the pitch, he is willing to fight for his place, for now.
The virtual sum total of his competitive experience with Lyon is a 27 minute spell in the French Trophy of Champions against Sochaux, which Les Gones won 2-0.
Facing a lot of competition for a 1st team place, the ex Lille man claimed that he is not stressed and has not asked the manager to know where he stands.
He said, "I have not had a discussion with the coach. I do not really have any questions to ask him about his choices. It all seems very logical and coherent. There are no questions to be posed. I'll do everything I can to help the squad, so he knows I am available."
Whilst he admitted that that he "has not featured too much in the official matches," he regards the situation at Lyon as "healthy competition."
The midfielder, who arrived alongside player signing Kader Keita from Lille in the summer, added, "It is not a problem. The team has only won twice in 2 matches! There is no reason to change a winning team. I knew it was going to be difficult trying to compete with a team full of internationals. However, I will do my utmost to gain a place."
However, the player fired a warning shot across Alain Perrin's bow by saying boldly that he will not wait forever.
He said, "For the moment, it is all fine, it is the starting of the season. However, if you ask me this same question in 3 or 4 months, and I have not played much, then it will not be the same answer."
In an attempt to talk himself further into the manager's plans, the player accentuated his versatility, "I can play everywhere; no system upsets me", however preserved that his best position was attacking midfield.
Bodmer, 24, had previously served Evreux and Caen before arriving at LOSC in 2002. He played 135 league games for the Lille side before joining Lyon in the summer.
26 July 2007
France midfielder Jerome Rothen has pledged his future to Paris Saint-Germain FC by penning a 3 year extension to his current contract, tying him to the club until June 2011.
The 29 year old, who has 11 caps, joined the capital club for €10 million in summer 2004 shortly after playing in the UEFA Champions League final for AS Monaco FC against FC Porto.
Injuries have restricted the former SM Caen and ES Troyes Aube Champagne player to 73 league appearances and 4 goals since then, even though he did win the French Cup in 2006.
Rothen said, "I always desired to be more involved in the team. I hope now I can celebrate wins with the fans who showed me their suppor." PSG played in the UEFA Cup last season however will not this term after being involved in a relegation battle for much of last season.
Rothen's deal comes hot on the heels of Paul Le Guen snapping up defender Gregory Bourillon, midfielder Didier Digard and centre back Zoumana Camara.
02 July 2007
Osasuna defender Carlos Cuellar could still transfer to Rangers with reports saying the Ibrox club have made a 3rd bid for the player.
The 25 year old's agent, Pedro Bravo, informed BBC Scotland, "The club president knows Carlos would like to go to Rangers. So he will sell him if Rangers offer something closer to his buy out fee of 6 million euros (£4m). However, he's sold some top players already and he thinks the fans will go mad if their best defender goes too."
Cuellar is known to be keen on a transfer to Ibrox, however the clubs have so far been unable to agree a fee.
The Spanish side, who eliminated the Glasgow club in the Uefa Cup in March, have already sold 2 key players, Raul Garcia and David Lopez, however hope to keep Cuellar.
However, Rangers manager Walter Smith could increase his offer for the defender following the departure of Karl Svensson to French club Caen last week.
And Bravo added, "There must be an agreement between Osasuna and Rangers for Carlos to go to Glasgow, and if there is an agreement with Rangers then we will sit down and talk."
Osasuna manager Jose Angel Ziganda, meanwhile, will seek an urgent meeting with Cuellar.
"Carlos has a deal that runs until next summer and I would like to know his thoughts," he said.
"I only would like players who are concentrating 100% on the team, and if they are not happy and would like to leave then we must find a positive solution for everyone. Rangers have made offers however we have discarded them so far."
27 June 2007
Rangers have completed the signing of goalie Graeme Smith from Kilmarnock however Karl Svensson has left the club to join Caen in France.
The 24 year old Smith joins on a free transfer and will provide the main competition for number one Allan McGregor following Stefan Klos' retirement.
He informed the club's official website, "I am absolutely delighted to be here. It is taken a while over the summer however it was only a case of being patient and I am more than happy to be here."
Smith could were signed as back up to McGregor however says he is not content to sit on the Ibrox bench.
"It is a challenge I am looking forward to. There were lots of keepers here over the years who have found it hard to make the breakthrough. It is only a case of biding my time and waiting for my chance and then taking it when it comes."
Meanwhile Swedish defender Svensson has left Ibrox after only a year at the club.
The former IFK Gothenburg man, signed by former manager Paul Le Guen, has completed his transfer to newly-promoted Ligue 1 club Caen for a fee in the region of £700,000.
Rangers failed in their latest attempt to sign Kilmarnock's Steven Naismith Tuesday, however a £2.2 million fee has supposedly been agreed with Wigan for Scotland international Lee McCulloch.
08 June 2007
FC Girondins de Bordeaux have handed Laurent Blanc his 1st coaching position with the former FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship winner replacing Ricardo Gomes.
"I were waiting for an offer like Bordeaux's for a long time," mentioned Blanc. "I was given several proposals in the recent past however I turned them down. I had a shortlist of 5 or 6 sides I would like to work with and Bordeaux was one of them. The others did not approach me due to my lack of experience. Right after I finished my playing career I decided to become a coach."
Capped 97 times by France, the 41 year old Blanc completed a professional coaching degree last season and puts pen on paper on a 2 year contract with the French League Cup holders, who will play in the UEFA Cup following their win against Olympique Lyonnais.
After starting out at Montpellier HSC, Blanc enjoyed a glittering playing career at clubs that included FC Barcelona, Olympique de Marseille and FC Inter Milano before retiring at Man Utd FC in 2003.
Ricardo, 42, returned from a holiday in his native country Brazil earlier this week and is appointed to the top position at AS Monaco FC yesterday. In 2 years with Bordeaux he guided the club to their 1st appearance in the UEFA Champions League in 6 seasons after finishing 2nd in Ligue 1 in 2005/06.
Monaco had previously parted company with Laurent Banide, the man who ensured their Ligue 1 status after a shaky start to the season. Blanc will be assisted by the 54 year old Jean-Louis Gasset, an experienced coach who has previously led SM Caen, Montpellier and FC Istres.
