PARIS — Vanderson’s red card proved costly as Monaco lost its unbeaten record with a 2-1 defeat at Nice and missed the chance to move top of the French league on Sunday.
Paris Saint-Germain can move three points clear at the top with a win later Sunday at bitter rival Marseille, while a Marseille win would leave all three sides level on 20 points.
Monaco took the lead through Switzerland striker Breel Embolo’s 39th-minute strike as he latched onto Maghnes Akliouche’s defense-splitting pass for his second goal in six days.
After Evann Guessand equalized with a fine downward header in first-half stoppage time, Vanderson picked up a second yellow card moments later following an altercation with forward Mohamed-Ali Cho.
A terrible backpass from Krépin Diatta gifted Nice a second goal as striker Gaëtan Laborde latched onto it and neatly clipped the ball over the goalkeeper in the 71st.
“(The) red card dropped us in it a bit,” Akliouche told beIN Sports television. “Then we made an error for their second goal. It’s a pity.”
Different game, same scorers
Auxerre hit back twice to earn a 2-2 draw with Lyon, with central defender Sinaly Diomandé and midfielder Hamed Traoré both scoring for the second straight game.
Georges Mikautadze, who starred for Georgia at the European Championships earlier this year, grabbed both of Lyon’s goals. They were his first of the season, having netted 13 for Metz last season.
Different coach, another defeat
Rock-bottom Montpellier lost 3-0 at home to Toulouse, one week after being routed 5-0 by visiting Marseille.
Montpellier changed coaches between the matches, with Michel Der Zakarian fired and Jean-Louis Gasset hired.
But fans at Stade de la Mosson watched another horror show as Toulouse went 3-0 up inside 30 minutes. Zakaria Aboukhlal scored twice and strike partner Joshua King made it 3-0, having earlier had a goal ruled out.
Also, Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos scored twice as Strasbourg beat Nantes 3-1 at home to move up to midtable.
