Lens won with goals from midfielder Charles Edouard Coridon and Daniel Moreira and now have 24 points from 11 games, one ahead of Lille.

'It was certainly not our best match tonight but we were really focused and Montpellier are not one of the easiest sides to play,' said Moreira.

'There is fighting spirit in the team and I'm sure it's going to be very useful in the coming weeks.'

Lille could not break down Marseille with inspirational midfielder Bruno Cheyrou squandering their best chance to net the winner 15 minutes from time.

French champions Nantes are still waiting for their first league win this season but came back twice to draw 2-2 at home to AJ Auxerre.

The Burgundy side went in front thanks to a 30-metre lob by Finnish striker Teemu Tainio in the 57th minute, but Olivier Quint equalised with a penalty ten minutes later. Khalilou Fadiga fired the visitors ahead again but Nantes took a point thanks to Frederic Da Rocha's late penalty.

Nantes stayed bottom of the league with four points from 11 games.

'We were very close to the win but we failed to score this little goal which would have changed everything,' said disappointed coach Raynald Denoueix.

'But our performance was encouraging. We did some good things.'

Monaco slumped to their fifth defeat of the season, going down 2-1 at En Avant Guingamp. Fabrice Fiorese and Florent Malouda put the hosts in control before Monaco replied through Moussa Saib. The visitors had goalkeeper Stephane Porato sent off in the 73rd minute for handling the ball outside the area.

Striker Mickael Isabey scored his first goal in a first division match to help promoted Sochaux to a 1-1 draw at ambitious Olympique Lyon.

Isabey dived to head home a fine cross from midfielder Benoit Pedretti and beat keeper Gregory Coupet from close-range seven minutes before the break.

Sochaux came close to their first success at the Gerland stadium in 10 years but Brazilian midfielder Juninho equalised with an 84th-minute free-kick.