Monaco stalemate hands initiative to Nice

Surprise package Nice can stretch their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to six points on Sunday after Monaco laboured to a 1-1 draw at Saint-Etienne.
Unbeaten Nice host struggling Nantes knowing that victory would propel them clear in the French league, with Monaco now second, ahead of Paris Saint Germain only on goal difference in what looks increasingly like a three-way title fight.
Monaco went ahead in Saint-Etienne after only five minutes on Saturday thanks to centre-back Kamil Glik, but the home side pulled level just 13 minutes later through defender Loic Perrin’s bullet header.
Monaco were marginally the better side without creating enough clear-cut chances.
Their best opportunity came two minutes into stoppage time, but Saint-Etienne goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier was down smartly to save from Gabriel Boschilia after the Monaco substitute jigged his way to find rare space in the box.
“The team played well against a good opponent. We had many chances,” said Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim.
“Of course the ambition is always to win and I’m disappointed with the result, but I’m happy with the attitude of the players and the quality of our play.
“The championship is tighter than in the past and our ambition is to win the title.”
Earlier, 10-man Lyon survived a late onslaught to earn a 2-1 away win at high-flying Toulouse with Alexandre Lacazette scoring both goals.
It was just Lyon’s fifth win in 11 league outings this season, after coach Brunio Genesio was handed an ultimatum last week by club owner Jean-Michel Aulas to notch up 31 points before the winter break or face the chop.
Last year’s runners-up now have 16 points with eight games still to come before Christmas.
Lyon star striker Lacazette, 25, opened the scoring with a nervously struck spot-kick on 15 minutes against the run of play.
Toulouse central defender Christopher Jullien then produced a towering header, rising above the Lyon back four to meet a free-kick to level the game on 26 minutes.
But after the break Lacazette sped past two defenders to latch onto a long ball, skip round the 17-year-old Toulouse ‘keeper Alban Lafont and fire Lyon back in front on 52 minutes for what turned out to be the winner.
“Consistency makes all the difference at a big club and makes an institution strong,” owner Aulas told French television after the game.
“And I’d like to extend his contract,” he said of Lacazette, who scored his 100th and 101st goals for the club to underline his prowess in front of goal.
Montpellier had to scramble youth players to make up the numbers for their match at Lorient after gastric flu swept through an already injury-depleted squad.
To their credit Montpellier, struggling around the relegation zone and with just 15 fit players, came from two goals down to eke out a 2-2 draw at Lorient, who stay bottom.
On Friday a thunderous second-half strike from Edinson Cavani gave champions Paris Saint Germain a 1-0 win over Lille.
It was a moment of magic from 29-year-old Cavani as the Uruguayan controlled Angel di Maria’s pass with his chest, swivelled and unleashed an unstoppable shot for his 10th league goal of the campaign.
Nice have 26 points from 10 games, ahead of Monaco and PSG, who both have 23 points but have played a game more than the leaders.