Two-time defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday at the Parc des Princes as they lost ground on leading trio Olympique de Marseille, Girondins de Bordeaux and AS Saint-Etienne.
Laurent Blanc’s talent-laden side gave away an 84th-minute equalizer after appearing to be in control following Edinson Cavani’s 20th-minute opener.
Uruguay international striker Cavani scored his third goal of the season with a superb diving header as he latched onto a pinpoint cross from 21-year-old leftback Lucas Digne.
Photo: AFP
However with time running out, PSG failed to clear their penalty area after a scramble and the ball fell to Cameroon-born defender Samuel Umtiti, whose right-foot shot was deflected by Brazilian Marquinos and past stranded goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu.
Blanc’s side marshaled the match in a confident showing, following their 1-1 draw at Ajax in midweek in their UEFA Champions League opener, but will come under further scrutiny after again letting points slip at home.
Earlier, Saint-Etienne moved into third place thanks to a goal eight minutes from time by Fabien Lemoine for a valuable 1-0 win at Racing Club de Lens.
Last season’s runners-up AS Monaco got some welcome cheer after a dismal start to their campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Brittany side En Avant de Guingamp, while LOSC Lille Metropole and Montpellier Herault battled to a scoreless draw.
“It was a good week and good for the confidence,” Saint-Etienne striker Mevlut Erding said following the team’s fourth win in six matches.
“Physically it was difficult, especially with the traveling, but we didn’t have time to worry about it,” Erding said, referring to the club’s UEFA Europa League trip to Azerbaijan last week. “We knew in the second half we had to be solid at the back and then wait for weaknesses in our opponent.”
At the Stade Louis II on the Cote d’Azur, former Sporting coach Leonardo Jardim guided Monaco to their second win in six days thanks a goal seven minutes before halftime from Nabil Dirar.
The team picked up maximum points in the league for only the second time this season.
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