Paris Saint-Germain’s title defense hit a roadblock on Sunday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Nice, leaving Monaco alone at the summit of the French league. Despite fielding a star-studded lineup that included the return of Ousmane Dembélé, PSG struggled to find their rhythm in the first half.
Nice took advantage of PSG’s sluggish start, with Ali Abdi scoring a well-taken goal in the 39th minute. The defending champions responded after the interval, with Nuno Mendes equalizing five minutes after Dembélé’s effort was parried away.
Luis Enrique’s team dominated possession but lacked creativity in the final third. Dembélé, who had been criticized for his perceived lack of commitment, showed flashes of his brilliance but was unable to inspire PSG to victory.
Monaco, meanwhile, continued their impressive start to the season with a 2-0 win over Nantes. Nicolas Tagliafico and Nicolas Pallois scored the goals for the league leaders, who now hold a two-point advantage over PSG.
Elsewhere, Lyon secured their fourth straight win in all competitions by beating Nantes 2-0. The victory lifted Lyon five points clear of the relegation playoff spot.
Reims moved up to fourth place with a 4-2 victory over Montpellier, while Brest followed up their midweek Champions League triumph with a 2-0 defeat of Le Havre. Lens and Strasbourg played out a 2-2 draw.
