Brazil midfielder Juninho scored an 88th-minute
winner Saturday to lead unbeaten Lyon to a 2-1 home win over local
rival Saint-Etienne.
Portugal midfielder Tiago put Lyon ahead in the 65th minute with
his third league goal of season, but Yoan Hautcoeur levelled two
minutes later.
Juninho, who went close with two free kicks, missed a penalty in
the closing minutes. But with two minutes remaining of normal time,
substitute Florent Malouda crossed from the left and he scored.
Five-time defending champion Lyon, with eight wins and a draw,
has 25 points after nine rounds, putting it six ahead of Marseille,
which plays Sunday.
Only Toulouse has taken a point off Lyon.
Saint-Etienne, meanwhile, lost its first away match of the
season.
Once France's dominant team and a winner of 10 titles,
Saint-Etienne has 14 points.
Lyon coach Gerard Houllier was without goalkeeper Gregory Coupet,
who cut his hand in a domestic accident earlier this week, and
suspended top-scorer Fred.
Remi Vercoutre replaced Coupet, Sidney Govou recovered from thigh
and hamstring strains, while Karim Benzema started in attack for
Lyon.
Saint-Etienne was at full strength with Ilan and Frederic
Piquionne in attack.
In other matches Saturday, it was: Bordeaux 1 Monaco 0; Nantes 0,
Sochaux 2; Nice 3, Lorient 0; Paris Saint-Germain 4, Sedan 2; Rennes
3, Auxerre 1; Toulouse 3, Valenciennes 0; and Troyes 1, Lille 1.
Toulouse had a two-goal lead within 20 minutes with goals from
Laurent Batlles and Fode Mansare. The win moved Toulouse up to
fourth spot on 15 points.
At Troyes, Benjamin Nivet gave the hosts the lead from the
penalty spot, but Abdulkader Keita secured a point for Lille. The
match ended with players pushing and shoving and throwing punches.
At Parc des Princes, PSG secured a win for under-pressure coach
Guy Lacombe, whose fallout with Vikash Dhorasoo led to the
midfielder being fired by the club earlier this week.
Pierre-Alain Frau gave PSG the lead in the sixth minute, Mario
Yepes added another, and Pauleta's fifth and sixth goals of the
season sealed the win for PSG.
Struggling Rennes moved out of the relegation zone after two
goals from Nigeria forward John Utaka.
Nice's much-needed win came with two goals from David Bellion and
one from Bakari Kone.
On Sunday, Marseille travels to Lens and Le Mans hosts Nancy.
