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Paris Saint-Germain missed the chance to regain top spot in Ligue 1 after being held to a 1-1 draw away to Nice on Sunday, leaving Monaco firmly at the top ahead of the October international break.
Nice had led at half-time on the Côte d’Azur thanks to a deflected shot from Tunisia international Ali Abdi late in the first half.
However, PSG performed much better in the second half after coach Luis Enrique decided to replace Randal Kolo Muani at half-time and bring Lee Kang-in into attack.
Nuno Mendes equalized in the 52nd minute when Ousmane Dembele set up the Portuguese defender for a shot from outside the penalty area with his weaker right foot, which lacked power but found the bottom corner of the net.
Dembele’s return was notable after the French winger’s surprise exit in the Champions League defeat to Arsenal in midweek.
He tested Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka several times and PSG had a chance to take all three points, including a header from Marquinhos that bounced off the post.
Luis Enrique’s side have won just one of their last four games in all competitions and go into the international break second in Ligue 1, two points behind Monaco.
A PSG win in Nice would have seen them start the weekend where they started: ahead of Monaco on goal difference.
“I am particularly proud of my team for the way they played in the second half,” said Luis Enrique, who expressed his satisfaction with PSG’s start to the season.
“I think it was a promising start. I like what I see. I think it’s a lot better than our start to last season, but the most important thing is to win the league and compete in all competitions,” said the Spaniard. who chose not to criticize Kolo Muani despite replacing the French striker early on.
“I could have changed five players at half-time. In this case, that was the change I decided to make.”
Monaco won 2-1 away in Rennes on Saturday with goals from Thilo Kehrer and American striker Folarin Balogun.
– Lyon continues its upward trend –
Marseille, which drew 1-1 at home to bottom side Angers on Friday, is five points behind the leaders in third place.
Reims are fourth, behind Marseille only on goal difference, and continued their good start to the season by beating Montpellier 4-2.
Zimbabwe’s Marshall Munetsi, Japan international Keito Nakamura and Ivory Coast striker Oumar Diakite all scored goals for Reims before Teddy Teuma secured victory with a late penalty.
Arnaud Nordin scored twice for Montpellier, which is in the relegation zone.
Also on Sunday, Brest’s 4-0 away win in the Champions League at Red Bull Salzburg was followed by a 2-0 win against Le Havre in Brittany in midweek.
Ludovic Ajorque and Ibrahim Salah scored for Brest in a game that both teams finished with 10 men.
Liam Rosenior’s Strasbourg came from behind twice to draw 2-2 at home to Will Still’s unbeaten Lens in Alsace.
M’Bala Nzola and Andy Diouf scored the goals for Lens and Abakar Sylla countered for Strasbourg, who secured a point after the hour thanks to a Habib Diarra penalty.
Lyon continued their revival of form, claiming their fourth consecutive win in all competitions with a 2-0 win over Nantes.
Argentina World Cup winner Nicolas Tagliafico gave Lyon the lead midway through the first half at the Groupama Stadium when he converted an assist from Said Benrahma.
Lyon then doubled their lead early in the second half when Nantes defender Nicolas Pallois turned a low cross from Corentin Tolisso into his own net.
The win for Lyon follows a 4-1 away win at Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday and is their second successive Ligue 1 victory.
After starting the season with just one win in five, Pierre Sage’s side are in eighth place, ahead of Nantes.
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