Neymar scored twice and created another goal but the league leaders Paris Saint-Germain was held to an entertaining 3-3 draw at home on Sunday by a Monaco side playing its first Ligue 1 game under new coach Robert Moreno.
The Brazilian gave French league leaders, PSG the lead after just two minutes at the Parc des Princes but Monaco scored two quick goals through Gelson Martins and Wissam Ben Yedder to move 2-1 ahead inside quarter of an hour.
Robert Moreno’s first league game in charge of Monaco, after replacing the fired Leonardo Jardim, was an impressive one as his side twice came from behind and nearly won late on at Parc des Princes.
Neymar put PSG ahead in the third minute with an excellent finish, controlling a clever lofted pass over the defense from Italy midfielder Marco Verratti on his chest and nonchalantly guiding the ball inside the near post.
But Monaco midfielder Cesc Fabregas picked out Wissam Ben Yedder with a flicked pass from the edge of the area and after Ben Yedder was bundled over by goalkeeper Keylor Navas, midfielder Gelson Martins poked in the loose ball after seven minutes. Two minutes later it was 2-2 after Neymar’s shot took two deflections and Lecomte was wrong-footed.
PSG then went back ahead in the closing minutes of the first half when Kylian Mbappe was fouled by Martins in the area and Neymar scored from the spot.
Monaco captain Kamil Glik headed Cesc Fabregas’ left-wing corner against the near post before PSG regained the lead in the 42nd minute – Neymar sending Benjamin Lecomte the wrong way after a panicked Gelson clattered into Kylian Mbappe.
Substitute Islam Slimani punished more slack PSG defending to equalize in the 70th, turning home a loose ball after Martins bamboozled the PSG defense and his shot was deflected by Marquinhos into the alert Slimani’s path.
The referee disallowed the goal for offside but then awarded it after a video review because Marquinhos’ intervention effectively played Slimani back onside.
Navas made a sharp one-handed save to keep out Slimani’s close-range header from a corner in the 88th. PSG was lucky to avoid a penalty since center half Thiago Silva deflected Slimani’s header with his raised hand.
Neymar was made to rue his miss when substitute Slimani turned home from close range for 3-3. The goal was eventually awarded after a long consultation with VAR Five minutes from time, Edinson Cavani was sent on as PSG searched for a winner. But Monaco held on to earn a deserved point from a wildly entertaining clash in the French capital.
