Lyon maintains form with 3-0 win at Auxerre

Lyon's clinical 3-0 win at Auxerre in the French league on Saturday showed early promise that Claude Puel's side can challenge for the title despite selling star striker Karim Benzema to Real Madrid.

Lyon failed to win an eighth straight title last season, and when the club sold Benzema and lynchpin midfielder Juninho in the offseason it led to questions about how well Puel's team would cope.

But Lyon had a 5-1 win over Anderlecht on Wednesday in the Champions League playoff round and has won three straight games, offering a warning in the title race to defending champion Bordeaux and Marseille, which drew at Rennes 1-1. Bordeaux hosts Nice on Sunday.

"Let's just say that if you win 5-1 against a good team like Anderlecht it gives you a lot of confidence," Lyon defender Jean-Alain Boumsong said. "It's been a great week for us. We're getting our confidence back week after week."

The win moved Lyon to seven points after three rounds and provisionally into first place along with Paris Saint-Germain, which won 3-2 at Valenciennes, and Marseille.

Marseille fell behind to Jerome Leroy's penalty in the 37th minute, but salvaged a draw through Mamadou Niang.

Rennes took the lead when defender Souleymane Diawara handled the ball and Leroy just beat goalkeeper Steve Mandanda from the spot, but Niang equalized in the 52nd when he was left unmarked to tap home Benoit Cheyrou's cross.

"It was hard for us in the first half, Rennes really dominated and we couldn't stand up to them," Niang said. "But we came back well in the second half, and I think a draw is fair."

An uncommon moment of skill from the France defender Boumsong gave Lyon the lead in the 31st minute when Cesar Delgado crossed from the right and Boumsong flicked the ball into the net with this heel.

Cameroon midfielder Jean II Makoun made it 2-0 in first-half injury time when he slotted home a cross from left winger Anthony Mounier.

The 19-year-old Miralem Pjanic, who curled in a free kick against Anderlecht, is starting to show just why Europe's big clubs are watching him. He grabbed Lyon's third goal, with Delgado again the provider, and was one of Lyon's best players.

Pjanic's playing time was limited last season, but Juninho's departure means he has more chances to shine.

In Saturday's other games, it was: Le Mans 2, Nancy 1; Monaco 2, Lorient 0; Montpellier 2, Sochaux 0; and Saint-Etienne 0, Boulogne 1.

About 200 angry Saint-Etienne fans invaded the field at the final whistle and demanded the resignation of Saint-Etienne's board of directors. After stewards intervened to restore calm, the fans ran over to the other side of the field to applaud Boulogne's supporters, making for a bizarre sight of the losing home team celebrating with the away team. Saint-Etienne was last and yet to pick up a point.

PSG coach Antoine Kombouare returned to beat the team he formerly coached. PSG took the lead in the 35th when striker Peguy Luyindula swapped passes with strike partner Mevlut Erding on the edge of the penalty area and finished clinically.

Erding made it 2-0 in the 56th, but Siaka Tiene pulled a goal back for Valenciennes shortly after with a free kick. New signing Christophe Jallet made it 3-1 for PSG when he scored in t 84th, and Rudy Mater grabbed a late consolation.

Boulogne, which won its first ever match in the first division last weekend, scored in the 37th through midfielder Alexandre Cuvillier.

Monaco went into the break leading 2-0 thanks to goals from striker Frederic Nimani and Brazilian midfielder Nene. Norway striker Thorstein Helstad put Le Mans ahead on the stroke of halftime, and Anthony Le Tallec got the second goal in the 53rd.

Argentine midfielder Alberto Costa scored Montpellier's goal from the penalty spot, and the promoted team got a second goal from substitute Karim Ait-Fana in the 90th. AitFana caused Sochaux's defense many problems with his trickery and pace.

American striker Charlie Davies, who scored twice as a substitute on his home debut against Bordeaux last week, started his first game but could not spark Sochaux's attack.

In Sunday's other games, Grenoble faces Lens and Lille hosts Toulouse.