Toulouse in driving seat in Ligue 1

Toulouse are in the driving seat in the French league after notching up their third win in three games yesterday, seeing off promoted Arles 2-1, while champions Marseille got off the mark with a 2-0 home success over Lorient.

Whereas Marseille have stumbled into the new season, losing their opening two encounters after ending an 18-year wait for the title, Toulouse have been going great guns and Norwegian star Daniel Braaten’s third goal of the campaign set them on their way on 36 minutes.

The one-way traffic continued in searing heat as Etienne Didot made it two on the hour but an Arles side containing Greek new arrivals Angelos Basinas and Angelos Charisteas dug in gamely and pulled one back two minutes later as Franck Dja Djedje capitalised on a defensive mix-up.

As Toulouse moved provisionally three points clear of Caen - who visit Montpellier on Sunday - the mood was buoyant at the Stade Velodrome after goals from Gabriel Heinze after six minutes and Nigerian Taye Taiwo saw off Lorient.

Lyon, another of the bigger clubs to have made an anaemic start to the season, finally got a win under their belts with a Jean II Makoun goal edging out Brest at the Stade Gerland.