PARIS, Sep 19: Amine Gouiri missed a late penalty as French league frontrunner Nice was held to a 2-2 draw by visiting Monaco in a thrilling French Riviera derby on Sunday.
Gouiri had been involved in both of the Nice goals when he had the chance to make it 3-2 from the spot in the 82nd minute following a handball by defender Benoit Badiashile. He sent goalkeeper Alexander Nübel the wrong way but missed the target.
Unbeaten Nice was in fourth place ahead of later games while Monaco sits in 15th.
Monaco striker Wissam Ben Yedder’s penalty five minutes earlier had made it 2-2, moments after Gouiri and strike partner Andy Delort combined to set up midfielder Hicham Boudaoui.
Russia midfielder Aleksandr Golovin put Monaco ahead in the 39th minute from a right-wing cross by Gelson Martins. Golovin had gone close in the 31st minute, when his goal-bound effort hit the back of Ben Yedder.
Delort, who had replaced Dolberg, equalized in the 50th as he headed in Gouiri’s cross. Gouiri has four goals and two assists in six games. Nice lost another player to injury when Jordan Lotomba went off with a calf injury soon after Delort’s goal.
The match between Lens and defending champion Lille was interrupted for about 30 minutes when fans from the northern rivals clashed at halftime on Saturday.
After the first half ended, a large group of Lens supporters invaded the field and ran to the away section where they fought with Lille fans. Riot police and stewards intervened and escorted them off the field. An emergency meeting took place to decide whether the match at Stade Bollaert should continue.
But after the second half got underway there was no further disorder and Lens won 1-0. Lens is unbeaten under coach Franck Haise and up to second place.
Lille has won only once and the pressure is growing on coach Jocelyn Gourvennec, whose side is 13th and has conceded 12 goals in six games.
It is the second high-profile incident of the season in France following serious disorder at the Nice-Marseille game in August which was suspended for 90 minutes and called off. Nice fans stormed the field and punches were exchanged with players and staff from Marseille.
American winger Timothy Weah recovered from a thigh injury and went on in the 62nd minute for Lille and a first appearance since Aug. 21. Veteran striker Burak Yilmaz went close to scoring for Lille midway through the second half when he flashed a header just over the crossbar from Benjamin Andre’s cross.
Those missed chances proved costly when Poland midfielder Przemysław Frankowski struck in the 73rd after being set up by Gael Kakuta. It was Frankowski’s first goal since joining from Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire.
Also, South Korea striker Hwang Ui-jo scored early and grabbed the late winner as Bordeaux won at Saint-Etienne 2-1 to secure its first win and move off the bottom into 14th spot. (AP)
