Lyon, Paris FC close in on PSG at top of Ligue 1

PARIS: Lyon and Paris FC both won to close in on defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 on Sunday, with the capital team defeating Monaco 3-1 despite a first goal of the season for United States star Folarin Balogun.

Lyon won 2-0 at home to Angers with goals in each half from Ernest Nuamah and captain Corentin Tolisso, as they bounced back from a 2-0 defeat away to PSG last time out.

The seven-time French title winners are third in the table, three points behind leaders PSG and one behind second-placed Lille. Lyon's win came amid reports that coach Paulo Fonseca is close to leaving the club to return to his native Portugal.

"I know that I will be with the players tomorrow morning but beyond that it is hard to say," Fonseca, who was in tears as he embraced his backroom staff at the end of the game, told reporters at a post-match press conference.

Fonseca, the former trainer of Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Roma and AC Milan among other clubs, is reportedly a target for Portuguese giants Sporting, whose own coach Rui Borges is under pressure.

Paris FC, who have big ambitions under the ownership of the mega-rich Arnault family, are fourth in the Ligue 1 table, behind Lyon on goal difference, after getting the better of Monaco at the Stade Jean-Bouin.

Lassine Sinayoko, the Malian international forward, scored twice late in the first half for Paris FC before Balogun pulled one back on 65 minutes.

- BALOGUN BACK BUT MONACO BEATEN -

Balogun is yet to start a game this season for Monaco after a turbulent summer featuring the controversy of his suspended red card while playing for the United States at the World Cup – after an intervention by US President Donald Trump – and then his refusal to sign for Everton on transfer deadline day.

He came on at half-time here and reduced the deficit with his first goal since netting in the USA's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 32 of the World Cup in early July.

However, Pablo Pagis soon scored a third for Paris FC, as Monaco slumped to a fourth straight Ligue 1 game without a win.

The match was a farewell for Paris FC's long-serving president Pierre Ferracci, who is now stepping down to make way for Antoine Arnault. He is the son of Bernard Arnault, the chairman of luxury goods conglomerate LVMH.

"A chapter is closing," said Ferracci. "I am delighted to have led the club this far and I am especially delighted about the great years that lie ahead."

Marseille beat Toulouse 2-0 in Sunday's late game with first-half strikes by Amine Harit and Amine Gouiri, the latter getting his sixth goal of the campaign.

OM have now followed a run of four straight Ligue 1 losses with four consecutive wins, and are up to sixth.

PSG are clear at the top of the table after a 5-1 victory at bottom side Le Havre on Friday, with Achraf Hakimi netting a hat-trick as Luis Enrique's team made it nine straight wins in all competitions.

Le Havre have not won this season and coach Didier Digard, a former PSG and Middlesbrough player, was sacked on Saturday by the club's American ownership, before president Jean-Michel Roussier resigned.

Lille beat northern rivals Lens 1-0 on Friday with a late goal from 40-year-old Olivier Giroud.

Strasbourg beat Auxerre 5-1 in Sunday's early game, ending a run of four straight defeats, as Moroccan international Gessime Yassine set up one goal, won a penalty, and then scored twice himself late on.

English forward Cameron Archer got Auxerre's goal and now has six in seven Ligue 1 appearances on loan from Southampton.--AFP