BREST: Olympique Marseille striker Florian Thauvin scored a first goal in more than a year and set up two others to help his side to a winning start in their 2020-21 Ligue 1 season with a 3-2 success at Brest on Sunday.

Marseille’s scheduled season opener against St Etienne last weekend was postponed after the club revealed four players had tested positive for Covid-19.

Earlier on Sunday, forward Josh Maja and midfielder Toma Bašic scored as Girondins de Bordeaux won 2-0 at Angers to move up to second place.

Lille, Monaco and Nantes also won to join Bordeaux on four points after two games. They trail on goal difference. Forward Jonathan Bamba got the only goal as Lille won 1-0 at Reims, and centre-half Benoit Badiashile netted for Monaco, who had a player sent off just after the break in a 1-0 win at Metz.

Nantes did even better, holding on for a 2-1 win at home to Nîmes despite having two players sent off in the second half. Romain Hamouma netted twice for St Etienne in a 2-0 win over promoted Lorient as last season’s French Cup runners-up also made a belated start to the new campaign.

Nice remain top of the standings with two wins from two while defending champions Paris St Germain are yet to start their campaign after losing the Champions League final to Bayern Munich last weekend.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2020