French Ligue 1: Too easy for Toulouse

Toulouse climbed into the top half of the Ligue 1 table thanks to a 3-0 home win over Metz.

Pantxi Sirieix got the home side off to the perfect start with the opening goal in only the third minute before second-half scores by Wissam Ben Yedder and Aleksandar Pesic wrapped up the win.

The three points lifted Toulouse into 10th place and halted a four-game winless run in all competitions.

Sirieix got the ball rolling in the best possible way when he converted Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro's cross in the third minute. Akpa Akpro raced down the right wing and beat Metz defender Jose Palomino before crossing to the right post, where Sirieix volleyed in.

Metz goalkeeper Johann Carrasso did well to deny Ben Yedder in the 18th minute when he parried a superb volley from the Toulouse striker which had looked destined for the net.

The home side had to defend their own goal shortly afterwards, though, when former Chelsea man Florent Malouda fired in a dangerous effort from just outside the penalty area and found Jeremy Choplin at the far post, whose shot was punched clear by Ali Ahamada.

Metz defender Guido Milan sent in a testing cross towards goal in the 38th minute which was met by Kevin Lejeune, whose shot was denied by another good save from Ahamada.

After the break, the visitors were denied again when Modibo Maiga's header was blocked and soon their woes were to be compounded as Toulouse went 2-0 up.

Goalkeeper Ahamada sent a long ball towards Pesic, who dribbled past Milan and crossed to Ben Yedder, who beat Choplin and Carrasso before shooting into the empty goal.

The home side scored their third in the 71st minute through Pesic after he linked up with Ben Yedder, who beat Carrasso from next to the penalty spot.

Sergey Krivets put the ball inches wide of the target from a Malouda corner in the 77th minute but that was as close as Metz got as Toulouse recorded a convincing win.