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| Marco ASENSIO (R) of Paris Saint - Germain in action during the French Ligue 1 (L1) soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Stade Brestois 29 (Brest) at Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France on January 28, 2024. |
Paris Saint-Germain blew a two-goal advantage and saw their French league lead over Nice reduced to six points after a 2-2 draw with Brest.
PSG led 2-0 at the break on Monday (AEDT) but an own goal and an equaliser 10 minutes from the end exposed ongoing difficulties at the back when under pressure.
Luis Enrique is the latest PSG coach to be confronted with a problem with composure that resurfaces every season, especially when star striker Kylian Mbappe fails to paper over the cracks with his scoring.
Mbappe could not add to his league-leading 19 goals and was shown a yellow card early in the second half over a heated exchange with defender Kenny Lala.
Winger Jeremy Le Douaron went close with a header in the 19th minute as Brest settled well, and PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had to make a smart save from Romain Del Castillo in the 28th.
At least that woke PSG up.
Attacking midfielder Marco Asensio opened the scoring 10 minutes later with an angled drive after being set up by left winger Bradley Barcola.
Moments before the break, forward Randal Kolo Muani doubled the lead when he followed up a thwarted effort from Asensio.
But PSG have been blighted by sloppy defending in recent years, and Mahdi Camara's shot was deflected past Donnarumma by central defender Danilo Pereira in the 55th minute to give coach Eric Roy's Brest side hope.
Brest's first goal came moments after Mbappe's caution, and a frustrating night for the World Cup star got worse as he watched PSG's defence capitulate again.
Brest midfielder Mathias Pereira Lage expertly backheeled Martin Satriano's left-wing cross past Donnarumma for 2-2 in the 80th minute.
Mbappe grabbed a last-gasp winner when the sides met in October, but this time a late effort was blocked by defender Brendan Chardonnet.
PSG finished with 10 players at a deflated Parc des Princes when an agitated Barcola got a second yellow card in the final seconds of stoppage time.
Brest are nine points behind PSG in third place and have a chance to knock PSG out of the French Cup when they return to Paris in the round-of-16 match on February 7.
Earlier, Lille missed the chance to go ahead of Monaco on goal difference and into fourth place when it drew 0-0 at Montpellier.
Lille remain in fifth place, two points ahead of Reims, which could only draw 0-0 with visiting Nantes.
Veteran midfielder Andre Ayew rolled back the years with a spectacular goal to earn Le Havre a 3-3 draw at bottom Lorient.
The Ghana international twice equalised for his team, with a header in the 85th minute for 2-2, and in the fourth minute of stoppage time with an overhead kick to make it 3-3.
In other games, eighth-placed Lens won 2-0 at struggling Toulouse, and Strasbourg drew 1-1 at Clermont.
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