Ligue 1 Review: PSG keep up pressure, Monaco slip up again

Paris Saint-Germain moved back within a point of Ligue 1 leaders Marseille courtesy of a hard-fought 1-0 win over Nice on Saturday.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s first goal since August was enough to seal the defending champions’ ninth success on the spin in all competitions.

The Swede stepped up to convert from the spot after 15 minutes following a foul on Javier Pastore, keeping the pressure on leaders Marseille, who beat Nantes 2-0 on Friday.

Monaco’s difficult season continued with a 2-0 loss at Rennes.

Aymen Abdennour inadvertently put the hosts in front with an own goal after 10 minutes, before Ola Toivonen fired home a close-range volley.

There was no way back for Monaco, who are now winless in four league games and sit 10th with pressure mounting on coach Leonardo Jardim.

Montpellier were held to a 1-1 draw by struggling Caen, Mathieu Duhamel cancelling out Hilton’s opener.

Although the result stretches Caen’s winless run to five games, Patrice Garande’s side are now out of the relegation zone and up to 16th.

Lens also climbed out of the bottom three with a 2-0 home win against Metz, secured through goals from Alharbi El Jadeyaoui and Benjamin Bourigeaud.

Lorient were another struggling side to enjoy success, winning 3-2 at Toulouse.

Yet there was no such joy for Bastia, who dropped to 18th after losing 2-1 at Reims at the end of a week that saw striker Brandao given a jail sentence for a headbutt on Thiago Motta.