Blanc wraps up stunning recovery

Overseas round -up

Rangers' victory marred by row

Overseas round -up

MARSEILLES SCORED five second-half goals to complete an astonishing 5-4 victory over Montpellier on Saturday and in doing so went to the top of the French league. At half-time, trailing 4-0, the home side were jeered off the pitch but left the Velodrome as heroes after the fairytale turnaround.

Laurent Blanc, the French World Cup defender, scored an injury-time penalty to complete the second half revival which was sparked by Christophe Dugarry.

He laid on Marseilles' first goal for Florian Maurice then headed two more within nine minutes before Eric Roy's 83rd-minute equaliser.

Montpellier scored four goals, with Ibrahima Bakayoko scoring twice, in a 19-minute nightmare first half spell for Marseilles and their young goalkeeper Stephane Porato, who was making his debut in front of 60,000 fans.

Bordeaux, the only other team on maximum points, beat Auxerre 1-0 at home and lie second on goal difference. Monaco, leaders at the start of the day, were held 0-0 at Toulouse.

Porto opened their defence of the Portuguese title, which they have won for the past four years, with a 4-0 rout of Rio Ave.

The Brazilian midfielder Doriva Junior opened the scoring after 19 minutes with a powerful shot from outside the penalty area and the winger Nuno Capucho put Porto 2-0 ahead in the 34th when he fired an angled shot over the goalkeeper from outside the area. The Polish striker Grzegorz Mielcarski, who replaced suspended Brazilian striker Jardel, scored twice in the 71st and 79th minutes.

Benfica, traditionally one of the main title challengers but struggling with weak finances, beat Estrela Amadora 2-0 at home on Friday.

Sporting Lisbon, the third force in the league, play at Vitoria Setubal today.

The former Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga was honoured on Saturday at Foxboro Stadium, Massachusetts, where he ended his playing career.