Evian TG survived a late Ajaccio fightback to earn a 3-2 victory at Stade Francois Coty on Saturday.
Brice Dja Djedje's goal along with a Kevin Berigaud brace had put the away side 3-0 up, before late strikes from Paul Lasne and Junior Tallo set up a nervy finish.
It was the away side who went ahead just after the half-hour mark when Dja Djedje curled a free kick over the wall from just outside the box into the top corner on the near side past Guillermo Ochoa.
Evian doubled their lead 12 minutes later after Daniel Wass brilliantly back-heeled a pass into the path of Berigaud, who side-footed his shot into the bottom corner.
The visitors put the game beyond doubt nine minutes later when Berigaud smashed past Ochoa from an acute angle on the left of the penalty area.
Ajaccio pulled a goal back in the final five minutes when Lasne converted after a hint of an Adrian Mutu handball in the build-up.
The hosts scored again just two minutes later when Tallo turned away from his marker inside the box and fired across the face of goal.
Bertrand Laquait looked to have the effort covered until the ball hit a bobble and bounced over the keeper into the far corner.
Matt Cotton
