Marseille (France), Aug 11 (IANS): The 2018-2019 Ligue 1 football season got under way here with an offensive display by Olympique Marseille, who got a brace from captain Dimitri Payet in a 4-0 rout of Toulouse.
Payet put the hosts ahead just before half-time, converting a penalty that was awarded after the first-ever use of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) in the French top-flight, reports Efe.
His second goal came in the 62nd minute as he pounced on a rebound and put the ball past Toulouse goalkeeper Kelvin Amian Adou on Friday.
Valere Germain made it 3-0 for Marseille in the 89th minute after a deep ball found him unmarked in the box and Florian Thauvin - who came on for Payet in the final stretch - added a fourth goal in stoppage time to complete the triumph for last season's Europa League runners-up.
The reigning Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint-Germain, will open their season Saturday night at home to Caen.