French big spenders Paris Saint Germain shrugged off determined resistence from Brest on Sunday at the Parc des Princes to show their title credentials after a fine goal from record signing Javier Pastore.
After years of underachievement - their last league crown came in 1994 - PSG are hoping for big things armed with the financial muscle of new owners Qatar Sports Investments and Pastore's wonder strike midway through the second half handed the capital club their third win in five outings this season.
Winger Jeremy Menz helped set up the goal and Pastore, a 42 million-euro ($60m) acquisition from Palermo, finished with aplomb for his first goal in Parisian red and blue.
The three points lifted the club into joint third spot in the table on ten points, level with defending champions Lille, Toulouse and Rennes, two behind early pace-setters Montpellier and one adrift of Lyon.
"We knew we had a solid side," said PSG coach Antoine Kombouare.
"This is the first time we have won three matches on a roll since I've been in charge and the firsat time we have kept a clean sheet (this season).
Brest meanwhile are in the bottom five still looking for their first win of the campaign - as are Marseille after the 2010 champions went down 1-0 at home to Rennes on Saturday.
Souleymane Camara kept Montpellier ahead of the chasing pack with the only goal in a home Sunday success over Nice which had coach Rene Girard saluting his side for their persistence.
"We knew that would be a tough one. It's good to be top but that is not the important thing at the moment - we have to keep our feet on the ground."
With Montpellier and PSG going well, Lille have to be on their toes as they try to repeat last season's title success and they are once again in the mix after English midfielder Joe Cole supplied a magnificent assist after coming off the bench to set the seal on a 3-1 win over 10-man Saint-Etienne on his Ligue 1 debut.
Eden Hazard had threatened to eclipse Cole with a superb second-half brace, but the Englishman, on loan from Liverpool, set up the third goal for Ludovic Obraniak with a brilliant dribble through the home defence in the closing stages.
David Rozehnal put through his own net early on to boost Saint Etienne but they then lost their way after right-back Loris Nery was shown a straight red card for a dangerous foul on Franck Beria.
While Lille look to cement their status Marseille, the only French side ever to win the European Cup, are in crisis after Jires Kembo-Ekoko fired home the only goal 14 minutes from time for Rennes, leaving OM with a meagre three points, just two off the foot of the table and winless from their opening five matches.
A second straight loss for the 2010 champions upped the pressure on coach Didier Deschamps ahead of a midweek Champions League meeting with Olympiakos.
"It's a huge disappointment after a tough match," admitted Deschamps.
"Of course it's not ideal for confidence going into the Champions League - in this very negative period we have to roll our sleeves up."
Elsewhere, Toulouse beat Caen 1-0 thanks to an injury-time strike by Etienne Capoue while unbeaten Lyon, now second, edged Dijon 2-1 with Maxime Gonalons and Bafetimbi Gomis on target.
Source: AFP
