Brest go top after washout at Marseille

Promoted Brest capitalised on a washout at Marseille to go top of the French first division with a 2-0 win at home to Saint-Etienne on Saturday.

Marseille’s late match against previous leaders Rennes was called off at late notice due to torrential rain at Stade Velodrome, giving Brest and their opponents the chance to take over at the summit.

Saint-Etienne came closest to taking the lead in the first half, but right-back Albin Ebondo’s rising drive crashed back off the outside of the post.

Brest seized their opportunity with 13 minutes of the second period remaining, when Bruno Grougi’s inswinging left-wing cross was headed home by Mario Licka.

Romain Poyet made it 2-0 with a sublime chip from the edge of the box moments later, as the team promoted from Ligue 2 last season went two points clear at the top and extended their run without conceding a goal to eight league matches.

Saint-Etienne slipped a place to fourth, behind Marseille on goal difference, with Toulouse holding onto fifth after a 1-1 draw at home to Lens.

Marseille announced later on Saturday that the game with Rennes will now go ahead at 1700 local time (1600GMT) on Sunday, pending a pitch inspection at 1300.

“The important thing is to consult everyone involved, and the security of the players,” said match referee Freddy Fautrel.

Marseille have a Champions League game away at MSK Zilina in Slovakia on Wednesday, but the French champions’ sporting director Jose Anigo said they were happy to play Rennes on Sunday.

“We really hope to play tomorrow,” he said.

“It would be very complicated to scrap this match again and find ourselves in the problematic position we had last season (when Marseille suffered a fixture pile-up towards the end of the campaign).”

Lyon put a turbulent week behind them to win 2-1 at home to Sochaux and climb to eighth in the standings.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas ended weeks of speculation in mid-week by confirming that coach Claude Puel will stay on until the end of the season, despite a 1-1 draw at bottom club Arles-Avignon last weekend and defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the League Cup.

The hosts took a 31st-minute lead when Michel Bastos gathered Yoann Gourcuff’s pass before firing inside the near post, moments after Hugo Lloris had produced a stunning save to deny Ryad Boudebouz at the other end.

Sochaux drew level in the 66th minute through Nigerian striker Ideye Brown, but substitute Alexandre Lacazette — on for the injured Bastos — rattled home the winner just three minutes later.

In the day’s other games, Auxerre climbed to ninth with a 2-0 win at home to Nice, while Nancy won 3-2 at Caen and Arles fell 2-0 at Lorient.