A late own goal gifted Lyon a 1-0 win over 10-man Marseille on Sunday lifting them level on points with Paris Saint-Germain in the French top flight.
Condemned to relegation due to debts two months ago before a reprieve on appeal, Lyon have now won all three of their league games, with only PSG ahead of them on goal difference.
Troubled Marseille, second last year, now have just three points and a recent dressing room fight led to the transfer listing of French international Adrien Rabiot and the sale of Jonathan Rowe.
What a win in the Olympico 🔴🔵
— Olympique Lyonnais 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@OL_English) August 31, 2025
1-0 #OLOM pic.twitter.com/8ZizrcJ8EY
On Sunday Roberto De Zerbi's Marseille had English defender CJ Egan-Riley sent off for a bad tackle on 29 minutes.
And to add to the sense of inner discord they lost the match due to an own goal from Argentine defender Leonardo Balerdi on 88 minutes.
PSG and Lyon both have nine points with Lille in third on seven after a 7-1 win at Toulouse on Saturday.
Elsewhere Sunday Strasbourg rallied from a 2-0 deficit at Monaco to no avail as Takumi Minamino scored a late winner for the hosts in a 3-2 battle on the south coast.
Monaco are now fourth on six points.
Their coach Adi Hutter said his team had sent out the wrong signal despite the win
"We should have won 4-0, we should have killed it. We deserved the win but we made it difficult for ourselves," said the Austrian.
Ligue 1 newcomers Paris FC had lost their two openers but came good against fellow promoted side Metz.
Algerian forward Ilan Kebbal scored twice as Paris FC fought back to beat Metz 3-2 in their first Ligue 1 home match at a lively Jean-Bouin stadium.
Backed by the LVMH-owning Arnault family Paris FC picked up their first points after two defeats and Kebbal said the win would kick start their season.
"This takes off the pressure and we can play our game freely now, try more stuff," said the 27-year-old.
North coast outfit Le Havre also got their first points beating an injury depleted Nice 3-1 after the visiting 'keeper Yehvan Diouf risked going upfield for a corner at 2-1 down.
Clearing the corner Le Havre went on a rapid break and Diouf had to watch in dismay as Issa Soumaré ran full pelt and scored into the open goal to make it 3-1 in the fifth minute of extra time and ensure their win.