Sale's Heineken Cup dreams were left in tatters as France winger Christophe Dominici inspired Stade Francais to a four-try bonus-point victory at the Parc Des Princes.

Dominici scored two first-half tries while Julien Saubade also grabbed a brace, as Stade played out their third consecutive Pool Three win and condemned the Sharks to their second defeat in three group games.

The margin of victory would have been far greater had fly-half David Skrela brought his kicking boots, but he could only add one conversion before being substituted on the hour.

Sale fought gamely and were a match for their opponents in the forwards, but their backs were impotent and rarely looked like prising open an obdurate Stade defence.

The English champions managed one try, a breakaway from Frenchman Sebastien Chaval and three penalties, two from Lee Thomas and one from Daniel Larrachea, and now need to win their remaining three group games if they are to progress.

Even then, their chances are slim and their opening-day defeat against the Ospreys looks to have been the killer result.

They were always going to find it tough, not least because of a lengthy injury list that has denied them the services of Scotland captain Jason White and England pair Charlie Hodgson and Andrew Sheridan, among others.

Coming into the match, Stade had lost just two of their 28 European games on Parisian soil, be it at their regular Stade Beau Jouix home, the Stade De France or at the Parc Des Princes.

And the hosts were backed by the significant majority of a crowd of around 43,000 - a record attendance for a Heineken Cup pool match - bedecked in striking pink.

The Sharks registered the game's first point, fly-half Larrechea booting a penalty in the 15th minute after missing a trickier one 10 minutes earlier.

And the marauding Chaval, eager to prove a point in front of national team selectors with the World Cup nine months away, put in some typically big hits early on for the visitors.

But Stade always looked the more threatening with ball in hand and, in wingers Dominici and Saubade, they had cutting edge.

Indeed it was Dominici who put Stade in front. Sharks centre Chris Mayor crucially missed a tackle in midfield and full-back Jason Robinson was left cruelly exposed as the pacy winger danced along the touchline before grounding in style.

Skrela missed the conversion, and then a simple penalty, but he did get on the score sheet in the 26th minute by converting a try scored by Saubade.

The flying left-winger got on the end of a crisp three-quarter move, rounded Mark Cueto, chipped over the stranded Robinson and sprinted clear to dive on the bouncing ball.

To add insult to injury, Cueto, injured himself attempting to tackle support and was forced to limp off with what appeared to be a hamstring problem.

Thomas cut the deficit to 12-6 with a 31st-minute penalty but Dominici struck again soon after.

Centre Geoffroy Messina did well to pick up off his boot laces a pass from Skrela and he fed Dominici, who had enough power to hold off Robinson and go over in the corner. Television evidence was needed before the try was awarded.

Dominici did not reappear after the interval but he had settled the game by then. The second half was error-strewn as without their star winger, Stade were not half as threatening. Sale made it 17-9 when Thomas struck another penalty, in the 60th minute, and they did not give in.

The 11-point crushing was restored when replacement Lionel Beauxis booted a three-pointer but the rampaging Chaval scored Sale's only try with 10 minutes left when he intercepted a pass and ran 60 metres to score. However, Saubade 78th-minute try, also from an interception, but the seal on the match.

The two teams meet for a rematch at Edgeley Park next weekend.