Marseille beat Grenoble 2-0 to open French league

By JEROME PUGMIRE,

PARIS (AP) Marseille coach Didier Deschamps got off to a winning start in his first French league match in charge, with Mamadou Niang and Benoit Cheyrou scoring Saturday in a 2-0 win at Grenoble.

Deschamps, who replaced Eric Gerets, has recruited heavily by bringing in 10 new players. But it was Niang, playing in his fifth season with Marseille, who scored in the second minute.

Niang collected the ball on the left and found space inside the area to hit the ball into the net. Cheyrou added the second goal in the 80th with a powerful shot into the top right corner from 20 meters (yards).

"I just regret that after our excellent first half we couldn't do better," Deschamps said. "We suffered when Grenoble came at us in the second half, and (striker) Danijel Ljuboja caused us a lot of problems with his movement. But we still controlled the game quite well."

Including last season, Marseille has now won its last nine away games.

"If we manage to carry on, then that will be great. But we will need to back that up at home," Deschamps said.

Rennes beat newly promoted Boulogne 3-0 at home after goals from Ismael Bangoura, Kader Mangane and Jerome Leroy.

Seven-time champion Lyon needed a last-minute free-kick goal from new signing Lisandro Lopez to grab a point after twice trailing in a 2-2 draw at Le Mans.

Modibo Maiga put Le Mans ahead in the 21st minute, but Mathieu Bodmer equalized in the 28th after good work down the right by Lopez, Lyon's record signing from FC Porto.

Cris was ruled to have pushed Maiga in the back, and Mathieu Coutadeur converted the penalty in the 59th. But Lopez rescued a point for Claude Puel's team when he curled a free kick over the wall in the 90th.

Paris Saint-Germain conceded an equalizer in the fourth minute of injury time in a 1-1 draw at newly promoted Montpellier.

PSG's Claude Makelele almost scored a rare goal when his shot was saved by goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren, but the rebound fell to Ludovic Giuly and the former France winger stroked home the ball.

Bosnian defender Emir Spahic grabbed a point for Montpellier in the 94th minute when he headed past goalkeeper Gregory Coupet from a late corner.

In other results, it was: Auxerre 0, Sochaux 1; Monaco 1, Toulouse 0; Saint-Etienne 0, Nice 2 and Valenciennes 1, Nancy 3.

American striker Charlie Davies made his debut in the French league for Sochaux, coming on for Vaclav Sverkos, who scored in the 71st minute.

At Valenciennes, Mamadou Samassa put the home side ahead, but goals from Julien Feret, Jonathan Brison and Bakaye Traore gave Nancy the win.

Mahamane Traore and Loic Remy scored for Nice. Brazilian midfielder Nene scored for Monaco, which later had captain Diego Perez sent off.

On Sunday, defending champion Bordeaux is at home to Lens and Lille hosts Lorient.

Updated August 8, 2009

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