PSG beat Le Mans 3-1 while Monaco drop two points in 2-2 draw with Toulouse

Paris Saint-Germain beat Le Mans

Paris Saint-Germain beat Le Mans 3-1 at home on Saturday, collecting their third consecutive league win. Lucas Beraldo opened the scoring from a penalty in the 19th minute after a Le Mans hand ball, and Louis Mafouta equalised in the 54th minute, his fourth Ligue 1 goal this season. Luis Enrique made four substitutions at once just before the hour mark, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia restored the lead two minutes after coming on, reacting quickest to a rebound. Maghnes Akliouche sealed the win in the 68th minute, his first goal for the club since leaving Monaco at the start of the season. Desire Doue's stoppage-time penalty was saved by goalkeeper Nicolas Kocik. PSG had rested Ousmane Dembélé and Nuno Mendes, and started with Illia Zabarnyi, Lucas Hernandez, Lucas Digne and 18-year-old Dro Fernandez.

The match was played amid student protests across France. A banner unfurled in the stadium read "Your riot police repress, our youth resists", and scuffles broke out as police tried to remove it. The entire stand was temporarily emptied of spectators.

Monaco held by Toulouse

Monaco led 2-0 at half-time, first through Edan Diop, who headed in a cross from Aleksandr Golovin in the 29th minute, then through Matthis Abline, whose 38th-minute volley was his first Monaco goal since his move from Nantes. The lead did not survive the second half. Casper Tengstedt converted a penalty after the restart in the 48th minute, and teenager Sion Oppong equalised for Toulouse in the 59th minute, his first goal for the club. The draw was Toulouse's third 2-2 of the season, from three away games. Monaco coach Filipe Luís said afterwards:

This is a marathon, we have to keep to our line of work.

Toulouse coach Jens Berthel Askou said he would have liked his side to start the first half "like the second". Monaco remain the only unbeaten team in Ligue 1 and have 14 points, one more than Lille.

The chasing pack and the lower table

Lille beat Le Havre 1-0 at home, with Dilane Bakwa scoring in the fifth minute. Le Havre finished with ten men after Ayumu Seko was sent off for a professional foul just past the hour. Lille play Arsenal in the Champions League on Tuesday without Tiago Santos, who is out with a serious knee injury. Paris FC lost 1-0 at Lorient, where Gabin Bernardeau scored in the 68th minute, and dropped to fourth on 11 points. Brest scored four first-half goals on their way to a 5-1 win over ten-man Angers, who had Jordan Lefort sent off after 59 minutes.

What comes next

According to France 24, Monaco face eight matches across all competitions in the next four weeks. Toulouse, on six points after six rounds, sit 13th, and the Toulouse coach's side is trying to move away from the relegation zone. Troyes (16th) and Marseille (17th) meet on Sunday. PSG return to the league table with a side that rotated heavily before the international break, while Monaco look to rebuild their lead after dropping two points at home.