Paris Saint-Germain returned to the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-0 win over Metz, capitalising on Lens’s shock 3-2 home defeat to Monaco
PARIS Saint-Germain brushed aside struggling Metz 3-0 to reclaim the Ligue 1 summit on Saturday.
The victory came after title rivals Lens capitulated from two goals up to lose 3-2 at home to Monaco.
Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos scored the goals for the reigning champions at the Parc des Princes. PSG now lead Lens by two points with 11 games of the season remaining.
Lens had started the day a point ahead but suffered a stunning collapse against Monaco.
Odsonne Edouard and Florian Thauvin had put the hosts two goals ahead, only for Monaco to score three times in 11 second-half minutes.
Folarin Balogun, Denis Zakaria and substitute Ansu Fati completed the remarkable turnaround for the principality side.
“That was stupid. We had the victory in our hands,” lamented Lens coach Pierre Sage.
Doue opened the scoring for PSG inside three minutes after being released by Warren Zaire-Emery’s pass.
Barcola added a second in first-half stoppage time before Ramos sealed the win with a late, emphatic finish.
Luis Enrique rested several key players ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League play-off second leg against Monaco.
Lyon in third can move to within six points of PSG if they win at Strasbourg on Sunday.
Monaco’s victory provisionally moved them up to sixth in the table. In Saturday’s other game, Toulouse and Paris FC drew 1-1, a result that cost Paris FC coach Stephane Gilli his job.
Sources close to the club said late Saturday that Gilli would be replaced by former PSG boss Antoine Kombouare.
Marseille, who are fourth, lost 2-0 at Brest on Friday in new coach Habib Beye’s first match.
