Monaco pulls rug from PSG
The home side failed to muster a shot on target in the first half and it continued to lack inspiration after the break
PARIS, France (AFP) — Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) suffered a Champions League hangover as a 2-0 home defeat against Kylian Mbappe’s old side Monaco damaged its Ligue 1 title hopes after Lille earlier reclaimed top spot.
A goal in each half from Sofiane Diop and Guillermo Maripan allowed Monaco to leave Paris with the points, stretching its unbeaten run to 11 games and allowing it to move to within two points of its opponents in third place.
While Monaco remain in contention for a return to the Champions League, PSG finds itself a point behind Lyon in second and four points adrift of Lille, which reclaimed top spot earlier on Sunday with a 4-1 win at Lorient.
It was a disappointing night for PSG as it failed to pick up where it left off in midweek when it destroyed Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League Last-16 tie, Mbappe scoring a hat-trick in a 4-1 win.
While Mauricio Pochettino’s side look certain to qualify for the quarterfinals in Europe, there is a genuine chance that PSG will miss out on the Ligue 1 title for the first time since Mbappe’s Monaco pipped them in 2017.
A goal in each half from Sofiane Diop and Guillermo Maripan allowed Monaco to leave Paris with the points.
Almost exactly five years to the day after he scored his first Ligue 1 goal as a 17-year-old for the principality side, Mbappe was kept quiet by the Monaco defense, while Neymar watched from the stands as he continues to recover from injury.
Monaco had already beaten the Parisians at home in November and it went in front here in the sixth minute when Ruben Aguilar knocked down Kevin Volland’s cross for Diop to head in.
The home side failed to muster a shot on target in the first half and it continued to lack inspiration after the break, as Monaco doubled its lead in the 51st minute.
Chilean defender Maripan dispossessed Ander Herrera inside the box and then coolly slotted low into the corner for what was already his fifth goal in 2021.