Toulouse in driving seat, lift-off for Marseille

PARIS (AFP) – Toulouse are in the driving seat in the French league after notching up their third win in three games Saturday, seeing off promoted Arles 2-1, while champions Marseille got off the mark with a 2-0 home success over Lorient.

Whereas Marseille have stumbled into the new season, losing their opening two encounters after ending an 18-year wait for the title, Toulouse have been going great guns and Norwegian star Daniel Braaten’s third goal of the campaign set them on their way on 36 minutes.

The one-way traffic continued in searing heat as Etienne Didot made it two on the hour but an Arles side containing Greek new arrivals Angelos Basinas and Angelos Charisteas dug in gamely and pulled one back two minutes later as Franck Dja Djedje capitalised on a defensive mix-up.

As Toulouse moved provisionally three points clear of Caen – who visit Montpellier on Sunday – the mood was buoyant at the Stade Velodrome after goals from Gabriel Heinze after six minutes and Nigerian Taye Taiwo saw off Lorient.

“We started off well and then Lorient gave us a few concerns and keeper Steve Mandanda was decisive,” said Marseille coach Didier Deschamps. “I am happy with the win which was the main thing tonight.”

Marseille began the season by losing to promoted Caen – who have since also shocked Lyon – but they appear to have stopped the rot with a win that lifted them into the middle of the table.

The club have endured a torrid summer in losing Senegalese striker Mamadou Niang to Turkey’s Fenerbahce while France international Hatem Ben Arfa has been on strike while angling for a move to English Premier League side Newcastle.

But the southerners have landed France international striker Andre-Pierre Gignac from Toulouse – although a move for another French international forward Loic Remy from Nice is in doubt after a Friday revealed an ‘anomaly’ in the player’s heart.

Lyon, another of the bigger clubs to have made an anaemic start to the season, finally got a win under their belts with a Jean II Makoun goal edging out Brest at the Stade Gerland.

Elsewhere, Lens came from two goals down to 2-2 at home to Monaco – the latter’s third straight draw – and Nice preserved their unbeaten record with a 1-1 draw at home to Nancy, though the hosts were left to rue a late leveller from Paul Alo’o Efoulou.

Auxerre, gaining their third straight draw, and Valenciennes parted 1-1 in the late match to leave the latter in provisional fourth spot on five points.

As well as Caen being in action, Sunday also sees 2009 champions Bordeaux needing to launch their season after two reverses at Paris St Germain while Sochaux entertain Lille.