Olivier Giroud scored a hat-trick for Montpellier against Dijon as they went level on points with Lyon and PSG at the top of the table.
Montpellier and Lyon both win to join PSG at the top of the table
Olivier Giroud was the hero for Montpellier as he grabbed a hat-trick in a high scoring 5-3 triumph at home to Dijon as they went level on points with Lyon who defeated Nancy and PSG, who do not play until Sunday.
Montpellier were stunned as they went two goals down in the opening 11 minutes through Benjamin Corgnet's brace for
Dijon. But the hosts hit back thanks in large to Giroud's hat-trick at the Stade de la Mosson in an eight goal thriller.
Michel Bastos scored twice to lead
Lyon to a 3-1 win over
Nancy at the Stade Gerland.
The striker put Lyon ahead with a powerful free-kick in the 25th minute and Bafetimbi Gomis converted a cross from Jimmy Briand to notch his seventh goal this season and make it 2-0 three minutes later. Bastos added a third goal with a penalty kick and joined Giroud at the top of the goalscoring charts with seven goals.
South Korea forward Jung Jo-gook scored a consolation goal for the visitors, but Nancy remain bottom of the league.
Held
In the day's other games
Toulouse were held to a 0-0 draw by
Marseille as both teams ended up down to 10 men. Charles Kabore was sent off for a second bookable offence just before the hour mark for the visitors but the hosts' frustrations were clear to see and they boiled over when Etienne Capoue was given his marching orders in stoppage time.
The draw gave
Lille the opportunity to jump above Toulouse and they duly obliged with a 3-1 success at
Auxerre. Despite falling a goal behind, Dimitri Payet, Polish striker Ireneusz Jelen and a Mathieu Debuchy penalty secured all three points thanks to a late flurry.
Brest and
Caen drew 1-1 at the Stade Francis-Le Ble. Bruno Grougi broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time but Thomas Heurtaux levelled for the visitors with five minutes remaining.
And
St Etienne secured their third win of the season with a tight 2-1 win at
Evian TG. Midfielder Laurent Batlles and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put Christophe Galtier's side in firm control until Yannick Sagbo's effort on the hour mark, but they could not force the equaliser.
Nice secured a comfortable 3-0 win against
Bordeaux at the Stade Municipal du Ray in the evening game.
First-half goals from Gabonese international Eric Mouloungui and David Hellebuyck put the game beyond the visitors and Francois Clerc wrapped up the points in the 65th minute.
