PARIS: Olympique Lyonnais and Paris FC both won to close in on defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 on Sunday, with the capital team defeating AS Monaco 3-1 despite a first goal of the season for United States star Folarin Balogun.
Lyon won 2-0 at home to Angers with goals in each half from Ernest Nuamah and captain Corentin Tolisso, as they bounced back from a 2-0 defeat away to PSG last time out.
The seven-time French title winners are third in the table, three points behind leaders PSG and one behind second-placed Lille.
Lyon’s win came amid reports that coach Paulo Fonseca is close to leaving the club to return to his native Portugal. Fonseca, the former trainer of Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Roma and AC Milan among other clubs, is reportedly a target for Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon.
Paris FC are fourth in the Ligue 1 table, behind Lyon on goal difference, after getting the better of Monaco at the Stade Jean-Bouin.
Lassine Sinayoko scored twice late in the first half for Paris FC before Balogun pulled one back on 65 minutes.
However, Pablo Pagis soon scored a third for Paris FC, as Monaco slumped to a fourth straight Ligue 1 game without a win.
Later on Sunday, Olympique de Marseille beat Toulouse 2-0 to record their fourth consecutive win and move upto sixth in the standings.
Elsewhere, Strasbourg beat Auxerre 5-1, ending a run of four straight defeats.-AFP