PARIS — Angers climbed to fourth in the French league with a 3-0 home win against Metz on Saturday, handing the promoted side its first defeat of the season.
After Algerian striker Farid El Melali gave Angers a fourth-minute lead, midfielder Baptiste Santamaria netted shortly before halftime and forward Rachid Alioui made it 3-0 midway through the second half.
Angers has six points after three games, one more than fifth-place Brest, which beat Reims 1-0.
Facing the club which sold him in the summer of 2017, striker Gaetan Charbonnier — who netted 27 league goals last season to help Brest get promoted — pounced in the 87th.
Metz is 10th.
OTHER MATCHES
Bordeaux is ninth after a 2-0 win at Dijon and Nantes 11th after winning 2-1 at 10-man Amiens.
Nigeria striker Moses Simon struck a late winner for Nantes against Amiens, which had defender Bakaye Dibassy sent off after 30 minutes.
Nantes took the lead early into the second half through Mali striker Kalifa Coulibaly before South Africa midfielder Bongani Zungu levelled for Amiens in the 72nd.
With five minutes left, however, summer signing Simon grabbed his first goal for the club.
SUNDAY’S GAMES
French champion Paris Saint-Germain will be determined to respond with a resounding home win against Toulouse, following last Sunday’s poor performance in a 2-1 defeat at Rennes.
Rock-bottom Monaco, which has conceded six goals in two games, needs to beat Nimes. Also, Rennes visits Strasbourg.
League leader Lyon, with nine goals from two wins, travels to Montpellier on Tuesday.
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