PARIS : Champions Paris St Germain let a two-goal lead slip for a second successive Ligue 1 game as they were held 2-2 by Troyes at the Parc des Princes on Sunday.
Just as had been the case at Racing Strasbourg last weekend, the Parisian giants looked to be cruising to victory but then let their opponents back into the game and had to share the spoils.
It was third successive draw for PSG, who secured the Ligue 1 title a fortnight ago, and a precious point for Troyes, now six points clear of the relegation places with two games left to play in this campaign.
PSG opened the scoring after six minutes as Angel Di Maria’s cross was met by a stretching Marquinhos, who stretched out his leg to easily steer the ball past Troyes goalkeeper Jessy Moulin.
Kylian Mbappe was brought down in the opposing penalty area to allow Neymar to double the score with a 25th minute spotkick but the advantage was reduced five minutes later when Nuno Mendes’ errant pass back into the heart of the PSG defence fell for Troyes’ London-born striker Ike Ugbo, who wasted no time crashing home a powerful shot.
Troyes then levelled four minutes into the second half after Renaud Ripart was wrestled to the ground by PSG’s French international centre back Presnel Kimpembe and the visiting captain Florian Tardieu smartly converted the resultant spotkick.
PSG pushed for the win as Neymar had an effort chalked off by VAR after Mbappe was found to have pushed off a defender in the build-up and Marquinhos was only inches away from a second goal as he put an 84th minute header wide.
In stoppage time at the end of the game, Lionel Messi struck the woodwork as Troyes grimly hung on for a potentially precious point.
Olympique de Marseille moved to second placed with a 3-0 win at Lorient earlier on Sunday. They are 12 points behind the Parisians, who now have 80 points.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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