PARIS (AP) — Maghnes Akliouche scored a brilliant individual goal and American forward Folarin Balogun netted a penalty as Monaco rallied to win 2-1 at Lyon for a sixth straight league victory.
Coach Paulo Fonseca’s slumping Lyon side is seven games without a win overall having equalled a club record with 13 straight victories. Although Lyon is in fourth place, Monaco is only one point behind in the race for a Champions League place next season and faces third-place Marseille after the international break.
Brazil forward Endrick set up midfielder Pavel Šulc in the 42nd minute, skipping past two defenders down the right before cutting the ball back to Šulc near the penalty spot.
It was Šulc’s 11th league goal and the 19-year-old Endrick’s fourth assist since joining Lyon on loan from Real Madrid.
Endrick then went for goal himself in the 57th after breaking down the right and saw his shot cleared near the line, when a frustrated Corentin Tolisso was completely unmarked.
It proved a costly miss as Akliouche equalized five minutes later when he controlled a long pass with one touch to cut inside Clinton Mata and curled a shot into the top-right corner.
Akliouche then won a penalty after cutting inside the area, with Tolisso kicking his foot away just as he was about to shoot. Balogun sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.
The penalty was awarded despite a video review clearly showing Endrick had his jersey pulled by Monaco captain Denis Zakaria in the build-up to the penalty.
It was a second straight error from the officials, who somehow failed to spot a headbutt from Lyon left back Nicolas Tagliafico to the side of Akliouche’s head. Tagliafico raised his right arm as he was running alongside Akliouche as if to disguise the violent butt.
Tagliafico was sent off in the 89th for a violent lunge on Lamine Camara and Monaco coach Sébastien Pocognoli was also shown a red card moments later for remonstrating with the referee. Camara was lucky to escape injury as his left foot buckled under him.
Later Sunday, Marseille hosted Lille at Stade Velodrome and Rennes faced rock-bottom Metz.
On Saturday, 18-year-old midfielder Dro Fernández scored as Paris Saint-Germain won 4-0 at struggling Nice and reclaimed top spot in Ligue 1.
PSG moved one point above Lens, which crushed Angers 5-1 on Friday. PSG forward Senny Mayulu injured his right calf muscle against Nice and is expected to be out for two weeks. ___
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