Monaco rallies to beat leader PSG 3-2, Rennes loses at home

Updated Nov. 20, 2020 5:09 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

PARIS (AP) — Kylian Mbappe's two goals against his former club were not enough as French league leader Paris Saint-Germain wasted a 2-0 lead and lost at Monaco 3-2 on Friday.

Mbappe's first-half brace took him to 99 goals for PSG since joining from Monaco three years ago in a deal worth a staggering 180 million euros ($214 million).

But lively German forward Kevin Volland netted twice after the break, and was fouled by center half Abdou Diallo for a penalty converted by former Spain and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas in the 83rd.

Diallo was sent off to leave PSG with 10 men in the closing stages.

The defeat was PSG's third of the season and ended a run of eight straight wins after losing the first two games.

Monaco moved up to second place, and four points behind PSG, despite being without top scorer Wissam Ben Yedder as he recovers from the coronavirus.

Another comfortable PSG win looked on the cards when Mbappe latched on to a fine pass from winger Angel Di Maria and finished confidently in the 24th minute.

The France striker then beat goalkeeper Vito Mannone from the spot in the 36th after midfielder Youssouf Fofana gave away a penalty.

Striker Moise Kean and Mbappe had goals ruled out for offside shortly before the break, and Monaco pulled one back in the 51st when Volland turned in Fofana's cross from the right.

Volland pounced again in the 64th when Fabregas set him up from close range and Fabregas scooped over a shot 10 minutes later as Monaco found another gear.

In Friday's other game, Rennes missed the chance to move into second after losing at home to Bordeaux 1-0, with winger Hatem Ben Arfa punishing his former teammates with the only goal.

Ben Arfa scored nine goals for Rennes two seasons ago, and struck in the 36th after cutting past three defenders on the left and smacking in a diagonal shot.

It was the former France international's seventh career goal against Rennes, his best against any side.

Rennes welcomed back influential teen midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, who was out for several weeks with a leg injury, and winger Romain Del Castillo hit the crossbar moments before halftime.

The defeat dropped Rennes to fifth place, while inconsistent Bordeaux climbed to 11th.

With Marseille’s home game against Nice on Saturday called off because of an outbreak of coronavirus cases in Nice’s squad, the day’s only game sees Brest facing struggling Saint-Etienne.

After 10 points from the first four games, coach Claude Puel’s Saint-Etienne side is trying to avoid a seventh straight league defeat.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

share

in this topic

Abdou Diallo

Kylian Mbappe

Angel Di Maria

Cesc Fabregas

Wissam Ben Yedder

Kevin Volland

Youssouf Fofana

Hatem Ben Arfa

Moise Kean

Eduardo Camavinga

Romain Del Castillo

Barcelona

Bordeaux

Paris SG

St. Etienne

Rennes

Nice