French champions Paris Saint-Germain squandered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with 15th-placed Troyes in another disappointing performance on Sunday.
PSG took control of the league game in the 25th minute with goals from central defender Marquinhos, after a pinpoint cross from Ángel Di María, and striker Neymar, who scored from the penalty spot after a foul by Kylian Mbappé.
But poor defense cost PSG again, as it has several times this season, with Canadian striker Ike Ugbo pulling one back in the 30th minute after a clumsy mistake by defender Nuno Mendes.
Two minutes after the break, PSG central defender Presnel Kimpembe fouled striker Renaud Ripart.
Midfielder Florian Tardieu stepped up to beat goalkeeper Keylor Navas with a flawless Panenka-style penalty for modest Troyes, who were promoted last season.
PSG’s Marquinhos, right, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his team’s first goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Troyes at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on Sunday May 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Neymar scored again in the 57th, but his goal was disallowed after a video replay showed Mbappé shoving a Troyes player from behind before Neymar received the ball.
Earlier, Marseille showed they can manage without injured midfielder Dimitri Payet, beating Lorient 3-0 and restoring their three-point lead in second place and automatic Champions League berth.
Payet will be out for the rest of the season with a torn calf muscle and forward Arkadiusz Milik will not play with a minor hip injury.
Marseille scored through striker Bamba Dieng in the 39th minute, midfielder Matteo Guendouzi shortly after the break and left winger Gerson in the 67th.
Monaco is in third place and three points behind Marseille with two games remaining. Rennes can move level with Monaco and third on goal difference if they beat Coupe de France winner Nantes on Wednesday.
OTHER PARTIES
Farid Boulaya scored a last-minute winner as Metz improved their slim chances of avoiding relegation with a 3-2 home win against Lyon, moving from bottom to 19th place.
Lyon finished the match with 10 players after midfielder Thiago Mendes was sent off midway through the second half.
Captain Vincent Pajot and Didier Lamkel Ze put Metz ahead 2-0 before striker Moussa Dembele responded just before half-time and equalized in the 85th minute with his 19th league goal in just 28 games this season.
Bordeaux replaced Metz in last place after losing 4-1 at Angers and closing in on relegation. Bordeaux have conceded 89 goals, the highest in the league.
Lens moved into seventh place after winning 2-1 at Reims, with striker Florian Sotoca scoring his second goal of the game in stoppage time.
Clermont moved up to 16th and closer to safety by beating Montpellier 2-1 at home, with striker Mohamed Bayo scoring the decisive goal from the penalty spot in the 69th.
Nantes and Nice will play matches on Wednesday because they met in the French Cup final on Saturday, with Nantes winning 1-0 for their first trophy in 21 years. Nice host Saint-Etienne in trouble.
Reference-indianexpress.com