Monaco level late in draw with PSG; Balotelli scores as Nice win

Bernardo Silva struck a stoppage-time equaliser to clinch Monaco a 1-1 draw against Ligue 1 title rivals Paris Saint-Germain.

The Monaco playmaker fired home a low shot from outside the box in the second minute of time added on to cancel out Edinson Cavani’s late penalty for PSG.

The point for Monaco at the Parc des Princes was enough to lift Leonardo Jardim’s side back above Nice to the top of the table and keep them three points clear of PSG, who remain third.

Mario Balotelli kept up his fine home form as Nice beat Guingamp 3-1 to keep the pressure on Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain in a closely fought French title race.

Balotelli has scored nine goals in 11 league games this season — all of them at home.

The Italian forward sealed the win with a late goal after being set up by right-back Arnaud Souquet, and Balotelli was also involved in the second goal scored by midfielder Jean Michael Seri.

Striker Alassane Plea opened the scoring in the 11th minute after a superb team move.

Nice passed the ball quickly through midfield and Seri then fed Valentin Eysseric, who cleverly back-heeled the ball into the path of Plea, who rounded the goalkeeper for his 11th league goal this season.

Saint-Etienne warmed up for next weekend’s home derby against local rival Lyon with a comfortable 3-0 win against Toulouse.

Striker Nolan Roux scored from the penalty spot in each half and winger Kevin Monnet-Paquet scored the other goal.

In the chase for a Europa League spot next season, Saint-Etienne is up to fifth place and closed the gap to four points on fourth-placed Lyon, which has a game in hand.

After a bright start to the season, mid-table Toulouse has struggled and this was a fifth straight defeat during which they have scored just once.

Toulouse midfielder Wergiton Somalia was sent off with the score at 1-0.