Two first-half goals were enough for Montpellier to leapfrog Sochaux in the Ligue 1 table with this win at Stade de la Mosson.

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Younes Belhanda put the home side in control as they barely gave their opponents a chance in a thoroughly dominant performance. The result means Sochaux remain without a point on the road after losing four away games on the bounce.

And they were fortunate not to concede inside three minutes as Joris Marveaux's opportunistic shot went crashing to safety off the post. Marco Estrada then sent a free-kick narrowly wide while Olivier Giroud saw his header across goal tipped away to safety by Matthieu Dreyer.

But the opener finally arrived on the half-hour mark. A poor defensive clearance from a corner allowed Emir Spahic to head across to Yanga-Mbiwa at the far post, and he made no mistake.

Sochaux had their first genuine effort on goal after 36 minutes as Brown Ideye got a shot away from the edge of the penalty area, but it was gathered in by Geoffrey Jourdren. And they fell further behind as Giroud's flick-on found Belhanda unmarked, and he calmly slotted the ball beyond Dreyer in the 44th minute.

Geoffrey Tulsane hit the side netting with Sochaux's best chance of the game while Dreyer denied Belhanda a second at the other end. Estrada then volleyed over the bar in the closing stages as Montpellier chased a third goal but the three points were never in doubt.