Stade Rennes vs. Montpellier

Montpellier went into the match as Ligue 1's leading scorers with 17 from their nine matches, and with Rennes laying claim to the best defensive record this season, just six goals conceded, it seemed the match would be a case of the Mediterranean visitors trying to break down the doughty men from the north as they went for the win that would take them above Bordeaux and into pole position.

However, with Montpellier in an all-out attack with the confidence of a team on a high, Rennes kept their composure and soaked up the early pressure.

Montpellier's South America duo of Alberto Costa and Victor Hugo Montaño troubled the Rennes' defence midway through the first-half, but the game exploded into glorious life on 33 minutes when Jerome Leroy picked out Sylvain Marveaux with a peach of a pass, and the 23-year-old finished like a veteran, beating Emir Spahić and drilling the ball with his left-foot into the back of the Montpellier net for his third goal of the season.

Montpellier were clearly ruffled at going one down and, four minutes into the second-half, Rennes capitalised on their opponents' hesitancy. Leroy was once more the provider, this time finding Moussa Sow, and the Senegalese striker fired the ball past Geoffrey Jourdren in the Montpellier goal for his first of the season.

Far from galvanising Montpellier into launching a fightback, Rennes' second goal drained the fight from the visitors and Rennes bossed the remainder of the second-half. When Asamoah Gyan added a stunning third three minutes into stoppage time it was no more than the home side deserved. Rennes move up to seventh, Montpellier down to fourth, and it will be a long journey home for the team.