Champions Lille finally win as they beat Montpellier

Paris - The result lifted Lille to 10th place on five points from four games while Montpellier dropped to 11th on four points from as many matches

French champions Lille celebrated their first Ligue 1 win of the season on Sunday after goals from Yusuf Yazici and Jonathan David helped them to a 2-1 home win over Montpellier, who had Junior Sambia sent off in the second half.

The result lifted Lille to 10th place on five points from four games while Montpellier dropped to 11th on four points from as many matches.

Teji Savanier came close for the visitors in the 20th minute and Turkey striker Burak Yilmaz had a shot saved at the other end before a pair of quickfire goals garnished a pulsating first half in added time.

Yazici fired Lille ahead with a first-time shot as he steered a Jose Fonte header into the bottom left corner after a free kick was lofted into the Montpellier penalty area from the halfway line.

The home side’s joy was short-lived though, as Gaetan Laborde popped up at the near post soon afterwards and tucked in a Stephy Mavididi assist with the last kick of the first half.

David forced the final twist in the 57th minute with some outstanding work, controlling a long free kick with a superb first touch before he outmuscled a defender and slipped the ball under goalkeeper Dimitry Bertaud from a tight angle.

Sambia was given his marching his orders in the 73rd minute for a second yellow card and Lille missed several chances in the closing stages.

In the round’s closing fixture, Paris St Germain visit Reims in the 1845 GMT kick off with their new signing Lionel Messi expected to make his debut for PSG after joining them from Barcelona earlier this month.