A hat-trick from newly capped striker Olivier Giroud gave Montpellier a 3-1 win at Sochaux on Saturday that provisionally took Rene Girard’s side three points clear in Ligue 1.
Giroud toed home a goal-bound shot from John Utaka to put the visitors ahead in the 50th minute, but substitute Abdoul Camara appeared to have rescued a point for Sochaux when he prodded in an 84th-minute equalizer.
However, Giroud immediately restored Montpellier’s lead with a clipped right-footed effort from the edge of the box before completing his hat-trick by deftly lifting the ball past Sochaux goalkeeper Teddy Richert.
Giroud’s triple also took the 25-year-old three goals clear of nearest rival Kevin Gameiro of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the top of the scoring charts.
Gameiro and PSG were hoping to recover top spot against archrivals Olympique de Marseille yesterday evening, when Antoine Kombouare’s side was planning to pile on the misery for Marseille after their damaging Champions League loss to Olympiakos.
Defending champions Lille closed to within two points of PSG by winning 2-0 at home to Brest in Saturday’s late game.
Former Saint-Etienne winger Dimitri Payet put the hosts in front in the 11th minute, curling a sumptuous left-footed shot inside the left-hand post from just outside the penalty area.
After Mickael Landreau had saved smartly from Brest striker Nolan Roux shortly before halftime, Moussa Sow calmed Lille’s nerves with a second goal in the dying stages, crashing home Eden Hazard’s low right-wing cross.
Victory enabled Rudi Garcia’s side to reclaim third place from Rennes on goal difference, after Julien Feret had inspired the Bretons to a 3-2 win at home to Evian earlier in the day.
The former Nancy playmaker broke the deadlock with a superb solo goal in the 10th minute, only for Evian to equalize through Cedric Barbosa and then go ahead through on-loan Danish international Daniel Wass.
However, a Feret pass paved the way for Youssouf Hadji to equalize in the 77th minute and the midfielder gave Rennes the points from the penalty spot three minutes from time after a handball by Olivier Sorlin.
Toulouse moved up to fifth with a 2-0 win at home against Valenciennes, with Saint-Etienne climbing one place to seventh by beating bottom side Ajaccio 3-1.
Nancy, 1-0 victors against PSG last weekend, were brought down to earth in a 2-1 loss at home to Dijon.
In other play, it was:
‧ Bordeaux 2, Caen 0
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