Giovanni Sio struck a controversial equalizer for Stade Rennais in a 1-1 draw to dent AS Monaco’s UEFA Champions League hopes, while struggling French giants Olympique de Marseille saw their record winless home run extended to 15 matches in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
Monaco are wrestling with Olympique Lyonnais, OGC Nice and AS Saint-Etienne for a pair of Champions League berths and they grabbed a 14th-minute lead at Roazhon Park when Helder Costa steered home after Nabil Dirar’s clever flick from a long throw, but Ivory Coast international Sio snatched a contentious equalizer 10 minutes from time, controlling the ball with his hand before beating Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic from close range as the visitors’ protests fell on deaf ears.
Fabinho nearly scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner for Monaco, but the Brazilian’s effort was cleared off the line by Fallou Diagne.
Photo: AFP
“I think Monaco played better and created three or four good situations,” Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim said.
“We missed these chances and then Rennes scored a beautiful goal with a piece of control of great quality,” he added bitterly of the equalizer. “When you work, you always do so to win, and when you don’t win you are disappointed, but it is still in our hands if we are to reach our objective.”
Monaco trail second-placed Lyon, 3-2 winners at Toulouse on Saturday, on goal-difference in the race for France’s second automatic Champions League qualifying spot, with Nice and Saint-Etienne both two points adrift.
Earlier, crisis-hit Marseille were again left to rue costly mistakes as the 10-man hosts were held to a 1-1 draw by Nantes.
The game at the Stade Velodrome was played in front of fewer than 20,000 fans as Marseille served a partial stadium ban following crowd trouble during their 0-0 draw against Griondins de Bordeaux two weeks previously.
Nicolas Nkoulou gifted Nantes the lead in the 31st minute. A breakdown in communication between Nkoulou and goalkeeper Steve Mandanda resulted in the former diverting a cross into his own net when there appeared to be little danger.
Florian Thauvin grabbed an equalizer just after the break, but Marseille’s hopes of snapping a 10-match Ligue 1 winless streak suffered a damaging blow when Alaixys Romao was sent off on 55 minutes for kicking out at Yacine Bammou.
“There was a lack of rhythm in the first half and we started the game poorly. Then there was the goal which was a bit unlucky and that knocked down my players’ confidence,” Marseille interim coach Franck Passi said. “Since the start of the season quite a few things have gone against us, but the players never give up. Faced with adversity, to get back level and earn a point is important.”
Saint-Etienne remained firmly in the hunt for third place after Nolan Roux struck two second-half goals in a 2-0 victory over Lorient, stretching their winning run to five matches, while En Avant de Guingamp were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Stade Malherbe Caen.
Montpellier Herault all but banished their relegation fears after thrashing bottom side ESTAC Troyes 4-1, while Gazelec Ajaccio climbed out of the bottom three, at the expense of Stade de Reims, following a 3-2 victory against SC Bastia in the Corsica derby.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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