France midfielder Alou Diarra and Brazilian winger Jussie scored second-half goals as Bordeaux climbed out of the relegation zone after a scrappy 2-0 win over Lyon in the French league on Sunday.
With both former champions struggling near the foot of the table after tough starts to the season, Bordeaux went ahead in the 59th minute when Diarra headed in a free kick from Jaroslav Plasil past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
Bordeaux goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso made a stunning point-blank save in the 89th when he tipped a shot from substitute Bafetimbi Gomis onto the crossbar.
"Cedric has saved us in several games and he was amazing again tonight," Bordeaux defender Mickael Ciani said. "He's the one who's always shouting and screaming at us to do better."
Shortly after Jussie picked up a clearance from Lloris some 45 meters out and jinked past three defenders with his right foot, before superbly curling the ball with his left past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
"I thought about lobbing him but I hesitated since I don't have a powerful shot, so I decided to go on my own," Jussie said. "I made the right choice."
The defeat increases the pressure on Lyon coach Claude Puel, who was jeered by his own fans at the last home game and sat slumped in the dugout at the final whistle.
"We should have put our foot on the ball more and controlled things better," Puel said. "That second goal hurt us and it wasn't a good night for us. We should have got at least a point tonight."
That pressure will be even greater if Lyon fails to beat bitter local rival Saint-Etienne, the French league leader, next weekend.
Seven-time champion Lyon is only one place above the relegation zone with five points from six games, while Bordeaux - which ended Lyon's run of seven straight titles two seasons ago - moved up to 13th spot with seven points.
"It's very disappointing for us, but you have to congratulate Bordeaux for playing well," Lloris said.
Yoann Gourcuff, Bordeaux's inspiration when it won the title in the 2008-09 season, was booed every time he touched the ball at Stade Chaban-Delmas as he returned to play in front of the fans who used to idolize him.
Lyon wasted the best chance of a dour first half in the 31st minute when Jimmy Briand's perfectly timed through ball sent Lisandro Lopez clean through, but Carrasso rushed off his line and forced him to hurry, and Lopez shot just wide.
Bordeaux struggled to create anything and had to wait until the 45th before Ciani's tame header was easily saved by Lloris.
Lopez was replaced early in the second half by Jeremy Pied, and Bordeaux then started to dictate play.
Brazilian winger Wendel tested Lloris with a low shot that the France No. 1 tipped wide before Diarra scored moments later when he met Plasil's free kick from the left and beat Lloris with a deft header from 12 yards (meters).
Lloris did well to keep out a shot from substitute Yoan Gouffran in the 76th, while at the other end Gourcuff's superb pass sent Briand scampering down the right and Ciani was booked for a crude foul on him.
Earlier Sunday, Rennes maintained its unbeaten start to the season but missed the chance to go top of the French league when it drew 0-0 away to Paris Saint-Germain and stayed in third place.
The draw means Rennes has 12 points from six games and is one point behind Saint-Etienne, which leads second-place Toulouse on goal difference.
Also Sunday, striker Moussa Sow scored a last-minute winner as Lille beat Auxerre 1-0 at home to move into sixth place.
Ludovic Obraniak whipped in a cross and Ivory Coast striker Gervinho flicked it on to the unmarked Sow to score.
Lille has 10 points while Auxerre - which is playing in the Champions League - dropped into the relegation zone.
Bordeaux hosts Lyon in Sunday's late game with both the former champions struggling for form.
Saint-Etienne moved into first place after a double from Dimitri Payet and Emmanuel Riviere's goal gave the side a 3-0 win over Montpellier on Saturday.
In Saturday's other games, it was: Lorient 0, Caen 1; Monaco 0, Toulouse 0; Nancy 0, Brest 2; Sochaux 4, Nice 0; Valenciennes 1, Lens 1, and Arles 0, Marseille 3.
