Leaders Marseille suffer 2-1 defeat at Montpellier

PARIS (Reuters) - Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Marseille slumped to a 2-1 defeat at mid-table Montpellier, who scored a goal in each half on Friday to hand the visitors a second defeat in a week that left them two points clear at the top of the table.

There were pre-match tributes to the victims of this week's attacks in Paris, resulting in a subdued atmosphere at the stadium.

Kevin Berigaud's strike from outside the area put the hosts ahead after 36 minutes, although furious Marseille players claimed the game should have been stopped for an injury, and Paul Lasne doubled the lead just past the hour mark.

Billel Omrani pulled one back for Marseille after 68 minutes but they were unable to fashion an equaliser in a miserable week that saw them embarrassingly knocked out at the last 64 stage of the French Cup 5-4 on penalties by fourth tier Grenoble.

Marseille remain on 41 points from 20 games, ahead of Olympique Lyonnais, who welcome lowly Toulouse on Sunday, and Paris St Germain, who have 38 points from 19 games before their trip to second-bottom Bastia on Saturday.

Montpellier's first win in four games lifts them three places to eighth with 29 points from 20 games.

(Writing by Ken Ferris in London; Editing by John O'Brien)