Saint-Étienne vs. Lorient

Vahirua silenced the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard after four minutes and when Sosa doubled the lead 13 minutes later the Brittany side were on course for victory. However, it could have been a very different story. Christian Gourcuff's men could have been behind in the very first minute of the contest, when they had goalkeeper Fabien Audard to thank.

Les Verts started brightly and things looked promising when Augusto Fernandez was freed on the right and ran towards goal - but his effort was crucially blocked by Audard. Soon after the visitors were ahead when Vahirua's free-kick from the edge of the penalty area flew high into the net, giving home keeper Jeremie Janot no chance.

And it was 2-0 in the 17th minute, with Sosa outjumping Les Verts defender Cedric Varrault to head in Vahirua's corner.

The bad news continued for St Etienne in the 27th minute when captain Blaise Matuidi, who appeared to be injured following a challenge with Morgan Amalfitano, was replaced by Yohan Hautcoeur. Christophe Landrin took the captain's armband.

Alain Perrin's men were booed from the pitch at half-time - and the mood of the home fans did not improve at the start of the second half as the game kept the same pattern.

In the 53rd minute Janot needed to be at his best to prevent the home side falling three goals behind, after Bakary Sako had carelessly lost possession.

In the 70th minute Audard produced a stunning acrobatic save to deny Sako, who fired powerfully goalwards from the edge of the penalty area. And 10 minutes later the home side threatened again when Bergessio was narrowly off-target with another shot from just outside the box.

However, there was to be no breakthrough for the hosts and the final whistle was followed by a chorus and boos from the clearly frustrated home faithful.