PARIS:

Paul Pogba watched as Monaco easily beat Le Havre 3-1 in their Ligue 1 opener on Saturday as Lyon won away at Lens.

On Friday French giants Marseille suffered a first-day upset 1-0 at 10-man Rennes.

In Saturday’s late game last season’s fourth-placed team Nice fell 1-0 at home to Toulouse, but Monaco and Lyon avoided upsets.

Georges Mikautadze scored the only goal as Lyon won 1-0 in northern France while 2018 World Cup winner Pogba’s appearance in the locker room at the Louis II Stadium was one of the highlights of the first half of Monaco’s game.

Dressed in a vintage Monaco jersey, a cap on his head, and a big smile on his face, Pogba saw his team quickly take the measure of an outclassed Le Havre.

Midfielder Pogba signed a two-year contract with Monaco from Juventus this summer in a bid to relaunch his career back home in France.

The former Manchester United player had made only 12 appearances across the last three seasons due to injuries, suspension and an extortion case in which he was the victim.

However, to see Pogba in a Monaco jersey, fans will have to wait a little longer, along with Guinea-Bissau forward Ansu Fati, the club’s other big summer signing.

Adi Hutter’s hosts proved dominant, particularly in midfield opening after 32 minutes after Gautier Lloris bundled Aleksandr Golovin’s powerful cross into his own net.

Englishman Eric Dier, also a summer signing, doubled the lead with a header from a well-taken Lamine Camara corner just after the hour mark.

Le Havre pulled a goal back six minutes later when Rassoul Ndiaye got the better of new Monaco goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky before Maghnes Akliouche put the result beyond a doubt after 74 minutes.

Earlier Mikautadze struck at the end of the first half to give seven-time Ligue 1 champions Lyon their first win since American businesswoman Michele Kang took over as president in June to save the club from relegation after compatriot John Textor resigned amid financial irregularities.

Lyon got the better against their former coach Pierre Sage, who took over at Lens after Will Still’s departure.

Financially constrained for summer signings, Lyon built its success with what it already had with strikers Malick Fofana and Mikautadze and midfield stalwart Corentin Tolisso combining well.

Fofana ran rings around the Lens defence, breaking through at the end of the first half when he provided an ideal cross to Mikautadze.

Despite 18 shots on goal, Lens were unable to deliver with Wesley Said and Deiver Machado both missing numerous chances.

New recruit Florian Thauvin came off the bench for Lens after 57 minutes to rapturous applause from the home fans but despite bringing creativity and freshness, the World Cup winner could not make the difference.

Four days after being eliminated in the Champions League qualifying round by Benfica, Nice once again displayed shortcomings in a 1-0 defeat at home to Toulouse with Djibril Sidibe scoring one minute before the final whistle.