Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was unable to take back the top spot in Ligue 1, following a 1-1 draw with OGC Nice on Sunday, allowing AS Monaco to maintain their lead.
As the French league heads into its October international break, PSG trails Monaco by two points as a result of the draw.
Monaco led Ligue 1 heading into the October international break, with Paris Saint-Germain missing the opportunity to reclaim the top spot after being held to a 1-1 draw away at Nice on Sunday. Nice took the lead at the interval on the Cote d’Azur after their Tunisian international full-back Ali Abdi’s deflected goal late in the first half. However, PSG’s performance significantly improved in the second half after head coach Luis Enrique decided to insert Lee Kang-in up front in place of Randal Kolo Muani at the break.
Nuno Mendes scored their equalizer in the 52nd minute after Ousmane Dembele set him up for a weaker right-footed attempt from outside the box that went into the bottom corner of the net.
Dembele’s comeback was noteworthy because the France winger had been unexpectedly left out of the midweek Champions League loss to Arsenal.
He gave Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka a number of test, and PSG had opportunities to win all three, one of which came from a header by Marquinhos that struck the post.
With just one victory in their last four games in all competitions, Luis Enrique’s team is two points behind Monaco in second place in Ligue 1 heading into the international break.
PSG would have started the weekend where they left off, ahead of Monaco on goal differential, had they prevailed in Nice.
Luis Enrique, who acknowledged his happiness with PSG’s season opening performance, saying, “I am especially proud of my team for the way they played in the second half.”
“I believe that so far, it has shown promise. I enjoy what I’ve observed. Although we took off the France striker early on, the Spaniard did not criticize Kolo Muani. “I think it is much better than our start to last season,” he said. “The important thing is to win the league and compete in all competitions.”
“I had the option to substitute five players at the half. That’s the adjustment I choose to make in this instance.”
Monaco defeated Rennes 2-1 on Saturday thanks to goals from American attacker Folarin Balogun and Thilo Kehrer.
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Lyon’s Ascent Continues
Marseille is five points adrift in third place behind the leaders after losing 1-1 to bottom club Angers at home on Friday.
Reims maintained their strong start to the season by defeating struggling Montpellier 4-2, moving them up to fourth place, only below Marseille on goal differential.
Before Teddy Teuma’s late penalty kick clinched Reims’ triumph, the Ivory Coast striker Oumar Diakite, Marshall Munetsi of Zimbabwe, and Japanese international Keito Nakamura all scored goals for the team.
Montpellier is in the relegation zone, and Arnaud Nordin scored twice for them.
Brest defeated Le Havre 2-0 in Brittany on Sunday as a follow-up to their midweek 4-0 Champions League victory away to Red Bull Salzburg.
In a match when both teams finished with ten men, Brest’s goals came from Ludovic Ajorque and Ibrahim Salah.
Strasbourg, led by Liam Rosenior, overcame two setbacks to tie 2-2 with Will Still’s undefeated Lens in Alsace at home.
Following an Abakar Sylla counterattack for Strasbourg, who were awarded a point by Habib Diarra’s penalty on the hour, M’Bala Nzola and Andy Diouf scored goals for Lens.
With a 2-0 victory over Nantes, Lyon maintained their winning streak in all competitions at four games.
At the Groupama Stadium, Lyon took the lead halfway through the first half through a goal by Argentine World Cup champion Nicolas Tagliafico, who converted an assist from Said Benrahma.
Then, early in the second half, Lyon increased their lead when Nicolas Pallois, a Nantes defender, diverted a low Corentin Tolisso center into his own goal.
The triumph for Lyon is their second straight in Ligue 1 and follows a 4-1 triumph away to Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday.
Pierre Sage’s club is currently seventh, ahead of Nantes, despite having only won once in their first five games of the season.