PARIS – Girondins de Bordeaux fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Olympique de Marseille after Angers made it two wins from two with a 3-0 victory over Olympique Lyonnais.
Bordeaux’s clash at Marseille got off to a worrying start when visiting striker Samuel Kalu collapsed on the pitch in the early stages of the match at Stade Velodrome although the 23-year old Nigerian got up as medics rushed on.
He briefly resumed playing before being substituted in the 14th minute, clearly looking groggy.
Marseille took a 2-0 lead into the break with goals from Cengiz Under and a solo effort by Dimitri Payet before halftime substitute Timothee Tembele pulled one back and Remy Oudin, who replaced Kalu, levelled with a first-time shot in the 57th minute.
Marseille had central defender Leonardo Balerdi sent off in the 89th minute for a studs-up challenge shortly after the home team’s winger Nemanja Radonjic had a goal ruled out for offside.
Elsewhere, Angers went top of the table with an impressive 3-0 home win over 10-man Lyon, while goals from Randal Kolo Muani and Ludovic Blas gave Nantes a 2-0 victory against visiting Metz, Reuters reported.
Promoted Clermont Foot also made it two wins out of two as they beat Troyes 2-0 at home, Brest salvaged a last-gasp 1-1 draw against Rennes with a stoppage-time equaliser, while Reims and Montpellier shared the spoils in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
Angers were well worth their win over Lyon and could have inflicted a heavier defeat on the visitors, who had left back Maxwel Cornet sent off in the 65th minute after he was shown a second yellow card.
Sofiane Boufal fired Angers ahead in the 20th minute with a neat finish from a tight angle and the home side doubled their advantage in the 53rd through a Marcelo own goal as the defender stroked the ball past his goalkeeper Anthony Lopes.
Substitute Azzadine Ounahi, who joined Angers from third division side Avranches during the close-season, made it 3-0 with his first top-flight goal after rattling the woodwork from long range moments earlier.
The result lifted Angers into pole position on six points from two games, ahead of second-placed newcomers Clermont Foot and Paris St Germain in third on goal difference.
Clermont, who is competing in the top tier for the first time since they were founded in 1911, continued their dream start in Ligue 1 as a Mohamed Bayo brace sank Troyes, whose midfielder Issa Kabore was sent off in the first half.
Jeremy Le Douaron levelled for Brest in the dying moments after Sehrou Guirassy gave Rennes an 84th minute lead, while Reims held visiting Montpellier in a see-saw battle which produced five goals in the first half alone.
The home side fell behind to a Nicolas Cozza goal and then turned the tide thanks to a Moreto Cassama double before Andy Delort and Gaetan Laborde swung it back Montpellier’s way. Ilan Kebbal equalised for Reims in the 83rd minute.
St Etienne twice led at Lens but had to settle for a 2-2 draw after Wahbi Khazri fired them ahead in the first minute, taking advantage of a catalogue of errors by the home side.
Denis Bouanga made it 2-1 to the visitors after Ignatius Ganago had equalised but Seko Fofana salvaged a point for Lens with a 78th-minute strike.
