PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain dropped points in the Ligue 1 title race after losing 3-1 at home to a slick Monaco side on Friday.
Leader PSG’s fourth league defeat of the campaign could have been even heavier and rival Lens can move within one point at the top by beating rock-bottom Metz on Sunday.
Livewire winger Maghnes Akliouche opened the scoring for Monaco and American forward Folarin Balogun sealed the win with a deflected strike in the 73rd minute.
Monaco beat PSG 1-0 in the league in September and has taken the lead in all four games this season, including two in the Champions League.
PSG hosts Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 game on Wednesday.
Akliouche pounced in the 27th minute after terrible defending from Warren Zaïre-Emery, who tried to dribble out of his penalty area and lost the ball.
Balogun reacted quickly to combine with Akliouche to his right, and he slammed the ball in off the post.
Akliouche scored at the same end at Parc des Princes in the return leg of the Champions League playoff. PSG advanced 5-4 on aggregate to set up the clash with Chelsea.
Fifth-place Monaco grabbed a second goal 10 minutes into the second half when midfielder Aleksandr Golovin, who had just come on, slid the ball into the bottom corner after latching onto a cross from the right. He almost scored again moments later with a superb dipping strike from 25 meters.
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé came on for PSG on the hour mark, having missed the last three games with a calf injury, but lacked sharpness.
Forward Bradley Barcola pulled a goal back in the 71st with a deflected low shot, but Balogun restored the two-goal lead from the edge of the penalty area when his shot sailed over goalkeeper Matvei Safonov’s head.
Safonov was beaten again near the end although Simon Adingra’s shot hit the crossbar.
Akliouche makes World Cup case
Akliouche has made five appearances for France since breaking into the national team at the start of the season, and is pushing his case to be included in coach Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad later this year.
Akliouche caused problems throughout with his runs from deep and midfielder Vitinha intervened just in time to stop him shooting again late in the first half.
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