Bordeaux stays atop Ligue 1

Aug 30, 2009 - 9:24 PM By SAMUEL PETREQUIN AP Sports Writer

PARIS(AP) -- Defending champion Bordeaux retained its lead in the Ligue 1 standings following a scoreless draw at Marseille on Sunday night.

Runner-up to Bordeaux last season, Marseille ended Laurent Blanc's team impressive run of 14 straight wins in the French League but was unable to find the net at the Stade Velodrome, where the club played for the first time this season.

Marseille was forced to play its first home game in Montpellier earlier this month because of an accident that killed two workers at its stadium in July.

Bordeaux now tops the standings ahead of Paris Saint-Germain and seven-time champion Lyon. All three teams are unbeaten this season and have 10 points from four games but Bordeaux has a better goal difference. Marseille is in fifth place with eight points.

Before the game started, Marseille supporters paid tribute to the club's longtime owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus, who died in July of leukemia at the age of 63 and a huge flag emblazoned with Dreyfus' face was displayed on the turf.

Bordeaux's first chance came after seven minutes when Fernando served up a long pass to Yoan Gouffran but Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda just got to the ball first.

Marseille then had a good chance to open the scoring in the 28th when Brazilian striker Brandao missed a header from close range following Mathieu Valbuena's cross from the right.

Left unmarked by Bordeaux defenders, Brandao hit Cedric Carrasso's right post with a powerful left-footed strike from the edge of the box that left the keeper stranded in the 35th.

Marseille gradually got a grip on the game although Didier Deschamps' team was unable to score despite going close before the interval.

In the second half, Marseille continued to exert pressure in midfield and Carrasso was lucky to see the ball hit the bar when Benoit Cheyrou struck a powerful shot in the 64th.

However, Bordeaux was denied a goal in injury time when Jussie headed home only for referee Antony Gautier to whistle for an infraction.

Also Sunday, Jeremy Clement, Peguy Luyindula and Christophe Jallet all scored in Paris Saint-Germain's 3-0 win over Lille to help the club clinch its third consecutive win.

Under a bright sun, Lille dominated for the first 20 minutes without creating any good chances. Parisian striker Mevlut Erding's shot from the edge of the box was then stopped by Ludovic Butelle but the Lille goalkeeper was helpless when Jeremy Clement took advantage of Brazilian defender Emerson's poor clearance to fire a powerful half-volley in the top-left corner after 26 minutes.

Peguy Luyindula doubled the lead in the 78th when he beat Butelle with a low shot after being set up by Christophe Jallet, who was left unmarked by Lille defenders. Jallet capped PSG's triumph in stoppage time.

For Lille, it was its third loss in four games and dropped to 18th with just one point.

Valenciennes scored its first points after three consecutive losses when striker Mamadou Samassa slotted home in the 86th minute in a 1-0 away win at Toulouse.

On Saturday, Lyon's major signings Bafetimbi Gomis, Lisandro Lopez and Michel Bastos all scored in a 3-1 win over Nancy, securing a fifth consecutive victory in all competitions for the seven-time champions.

After crushing Belgian side Anderlecht 8-2 on aggregate to reach the Champions League group phase for a 10th straight time, Lyon again showed an offensive style of play that the Stade Gerland fans were not used to last season when the club relinquished the title to Bordeaux.

Promoted Montpellier continued its impressive return to the topflight with a 3-0 win at Nice that gave him the fourth place. But the team could be severely punished after its supporters threw flares onto the pitch, forcing the referee to suspend the match for about 15 minutes in the second half.