Paris St. Germain’s Maghnes Akliouche scored his first goal for the club as the champions eased to a 3-1 home victory over Le Mans in Ligue 1 on Saturday, while league leaders AS Monaco were held to a frustrating 2-2 draw by visiting Toulouse.
The game was played in a tense atmosphere as, amid student protests across France, a banner was unfurled at the stadium which read: “Your riot police repress, our youth resists.”
Scuffles broke out as police tried to remove the banner and eventually the entire stand was temporarily emptied of spectators.
PSG took the lead with a penalty converted by Lucas Beraldo, but Le Mans levelled in the second half through Louis Mafouta who blasted home for his fourth Ligue 1 goal this season.
Home coach Luis Enrique reacted by making four substitutions at once just before the hour mark and one of those, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, fired them ahead two minutes after coming on as he reacted quickest to a rebound.
Akliouche then ended the game as a contest with the third, his first goal since switching from Monaco at the start of the season.
PSG were awarded a penalty in added time but Desire Doue’s effort was saved by goalkeeper Nicolas Kocik.
The win leaves PSG in fifth on 11 points after six games.
Monaco let a 2-0 first-half lead slip as they were held by Toulouse. They have 14 points and a one-point lead over Lille.
Edan Diop scored their opener and then turned provider for Matthis Abline to net his first Monaco goal since a move from Nantes.
Casper Tengstedt pulled one back for the visitors with a penalty just after the break before teenager Sion Oppong netted his first Toulouse goal to make it 2-2.
Lille briefly moved top as they won 1-0 at home to 10-man Le Havre before being leapfrogged later on by Monaco.
Dilane Bakwa scored the winner in the fifth minute but Lille were run close by Le Havre, who lost Ayumu Seko to a red card for a professional foul just past the hour mark.
Paris FC remain fourth despite a 1-0 loss at Lorient and sit above local rivals PSG on goal difference.
They had more of the ball but Lorient took their chance as Gabin Bernardeau netted after 68 minutes.
Brest scored four first-half goals before eventually running out 5-1 victors over 10-man Angers in a one-sided contest.
Ludovic Ajorque, Lucas Tousart, Kenny Lala, Mama Balde and Pathe Mboup scored for Brest, while Prosper Peter netted a consolation for the visitors, who had Jordan Lefort sent off after 59 minutes.