Geoffrey Dernis struck lucky as Montpellier kept up the pressure on Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain with a 1-0 victory over Brest.
Dernis may not have known much about it but he scored the winner in the first half as a volley from team-mate Remy Cabella struck him on the back and went past goalkeeper Steeve Elana.
Montpellier, second in the French top flight, remain three points behind the capital aristocrats. But if luck is to favour the underdogs, as it did here, PSG might have cause to be worried.
Montpellier were the superior side and might have gone in front after just a minute as Cabella played in Olivier Giroud and the league's top scorer sent his shot slightly wide.
Brest's Mario Licka had a shot deflected wide for a corner at the other end as the mid-table visitors offered their first threat.
Giroud saw a shot punched clear and soon afterwards Vitorino Hilton saw a close-range effort expertly blocked by Elana.
Cabella tested Elana again, soon before the deadlock was broken in the 40th minute.
Henri Bedimo made ground down the left and crossed for Cabella who struck an instinctive volley which may have been goal-bound but when it struck the back of Dernis the ball deviated to such an extent it left goalkeeper Elana wrongfooted.
Romain Poyet threatened with a volley for Brest early in the second half, while Cabella, Giroud and Karim Ait Fana were denied in quick succession by the busy Elana.
Licka then had a clear chance to bring Brest level but Montpellier goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren pulled off a superb save with his feet.
Cabella was thwarted by Elana, who punched away another shot with his fists, before with time running out, Brest's chances took a fatal blow as they were reduced to 10 men.
Abdoul Sissoko, on as a substitute for his Ligue 1 debut, was sent off for a two-footed challenge on Romain Pitau.
