Sat Aug 4 20:41:17 2007

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Audel opens Ligue 1 with hat trick

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Valenciennes, France (Sports Network) - Striker Johan Audel posted a hat trick to lead Valenciennes over Toulouse, 3-1, in the Ligue 1 opener on Saturday.

After breaking a scoreless match in the fifth minute with his first goal, Audel then broke a 1-1 tie in the 29th minute, before capping off the scoring in the 58th minute.

There were three scoreless games on opening day in Ligue 1 as the Strasbourg/Marseille, Lille/Lorient and PSG/Sochaux contests all ended the same way they started.

David Bellion scored the sole goal to lift Bordeaux over Lens, 1-0, in his first game for his new team, while Ligue 1 newcomers Caen blanked Nice by the same 1-0 score.

In the final two matches on Saturday, Nancy edged out Rennes, 2-0, and Monaco and St Etienne split the points in a 1-1 draw.

Lyon, which has been atop the Ligue 1 standings for the past six years, will open up its league schedule against Auxerre at Stade de Gerland. Once again they will be the prohibitive favorites to claim another Ligue 1 crown.

Also on Sunday, Metz travels to Le Mans to cap off the first weekend of Ligue 1.