Unsettled Chamakh, Gourcuff steer Bordeaux to victory

Unsettled Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh and midfield inspiration Yoann Gourcuff steered champions Bordeaux to a 4-1 win over promoted Lens on Sunday to open thier French title defence in style.

Gourcuff scored twice while Chamakh, who has been constantly linked with a switch to the English Premier League, added one and played a crucial role in two others.

Bordeaux were in front after just 13 minutes.

Brazilian star Wendel, put in the clear by Chamakh and Argentine striker Fernando Cavenaghi, turned back inside two defenders before curling a sweet left-foot drive into the corner past Lens’ Croatian keeper Vedran Runje.

Lens levelled five minutes from half-time through Tunisian international Issam Jemaa whose diving header, from a cross by Yohan Demont, comfortably beat Cedric Carrasso in the champions’ goal.

Gourcuff restored Bordeaux’s lead in the 52nd minute with a stinging drive from the outside of the box which took a wicked deflection on its way into the net.

Four minutes later Abdoulrazak Boukari thought he had equalised with a bullet header from a free-kick, but his effort was ruled out for a marginal offside.

Chamakh stroked in the third in the first minute of injury time before his cheeky backheel helped create Gourcuff’s second, and Bordeaux’s fourth, just before the final whistle.

On Saturday, there was early awayday cheer for Marseille, but Lyon and Paris St Germain had to make do with draws.

Lyon were saved at the death by new signing from Porto Lisandro Lopez, who netted a freekick to salvage a 2-2 draw at lowly Le Mans, who were twice ahead, while PSG stuttered to a 1-1 draw at Montpellier.

Former European champions Marseille, who have endured a 17-year wait for a league crown, were ahead after just two minutes at Grenoble as Mamadou Niang put them in front having slalomed through a brittle home defence.

Benoit Cheyrou secured the points with the second goal ten minutes from time to cheer new coach Didier Deschamps.

Deschamps said: “There were more positives than negatives. We had things pretty much under control though many will say it’s logical that Marseille win at Grenoble. I hope we can go on from here.”

Marseille finished three points adrift of champions Bordeaux last term and now are bent on going one better.

PSG, who last won the title in 1994, again showed their flaws in drawing 1-1 at Montpellier.

The hosts were down to 10 men for the last hour after Cyril Jeunechamp was dismissed for a second bookable offence for scything down PSG’s Ludovic Giuly from behind in the 27th minute.

Giuly exacted revenge by firing home in the 71st minute.

But Bosnian new signing Emir Spahic powered in a header on the stroke of time to deny the Parisians all three points.

Lyon had a double fright at Le Mans who were ahead on 21 minutes through Malian youngster Modibo Maiga.

Mathieu Bodmer levelled seven minutes later for Lyon, who could only come in third last season after seven league title wins on the trot, but Mathieu Coutadeur scored from the penalty spot on the hour to restore the hosts’ lead.

Brazilian defender Cris tangled with Maiga to earn Le Mans the spotkick but just as an embarrassing loss loomed up popped Lopez to save Lyon’s blushes.