Defender Garry Bocaly scored with a header early in the second half as Montpellier won 1-0 against an under-strength Bordeaux team in the French league on Sunday.
Chile midfielder Marco Estrada clipped a free kick from 35 yards and Bocaly ran between Alou Diarra and Jaroslav Plasil to nod past goalkeeper Kevin Olimpa in the 47th minute.
"It's pleasing to get the three points, as we really wanted to play as quickly as possible after losing earlier this week," Bocaly said, referring to Montpellier's surprise elimination in the Europa League playoffs against Hungarian side Gyor.
Bordeaux coach Jean Tigana, who replaced Laurent Blanc after he took over the national team, was missing six players either through suspension or injury.
Tigana also lost Yoann Gourcuff midway through the second half after the France playmaker took a knock on his right ankle following a heavy challenge from Montpellier midfielder Romain Pitau.
Montpellier is in sixth place after the first round of matches. Five other teams won their opening games, with Paris Saint-Germain in first place on goal difference.
For his first official match in charge of Bordeaux, Tigana was without goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso, and defenders Mathieu Chalme, Mickael Ciani and Henrique - all through suspension.
Defender Marc Planus and No. 2 Ulrich Rame were injured, meanwhile, and Tigana gave Olimpa his first league start.
Vujadin Savic also made his debut in the center of Bordeaux's makeshift defense, but he looked out of sorts and Tigana's weakened team generally looked nervous early on.
Montpellier almost took the lead in the fifth minute when Olivier Giroud outjumped Savic and headed just over.
But Bordeaux regained its composure and nearly scored 10 minutes later when Pitau cleared the ball poorly in the penalty area, and Bordeaux defender Benoit Tremoulinas struck a powerful shot which took a deflection and hit the post.
With neither side able to control the game, chances were scarce, although Olimpa did well to turn away a free kick from Estrada midway through the first half.
Soon after Bocaly's goal, Gourcuff forced goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren into a low save, but moments later he was sat on the team bench with an ice pack strapped to his right ankle.
In Saturday's games, it was: Auxerre 2, Lorient 2; Lens 1, Nancy 2; Lyon 0, Monaco 0; Marseille 1, Caen 2; Nice 0, Valenciennes 0; Paris Saint-Germain 3, Saint-Etienne 1; Rennes 1, Lille 1; Sochaux 2, Arles-Avignon 1; and Toulouse 2, Brest 0.
