Paris Saint-Germain 1 Monaco 1: Bernardo Silva salvages dramatic draw

Bernardo Silva netted a stoppage-time equaliser to help Monaco to a dramatic 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes and send them top of Ligue 1.

Edinson Cavani appeared to have won it for PSG when he converted a penalty with nine minutes left on the clock, but Portugal midfielder Silva salvaged a point for Monaco with a low shot from outside the box.

Unai Emery’s men knew they were in for a tough task, having failed to beat Monaco at home in Ligue 1 since February 2007 and winning just 20 per cent of their games in the French top flight against the principality club.

The Spanish coach opted to leave Angel Di Maria, Hatem Ben Arfa and new signing Goncalo Guedes on the bench as he relied on Lucas Moura, Cavani and Julian Draxler in attack instead.

Both Lucas and Cavani got chances to open the scoring before the break, while Radamel Falcao looked dangerous for Monaco early in the second half, but the biggest goalmouth action was saved until the end.

The titleholders remain third in the table following Sunday’s draw, trailing leaders Monaco and Nice by three points.

Ligue 1’s top scorers by a distance, Monaco made an encouraging start to the game and threatened a number of times early on.

Thomas Lemar aimed a free-kick from a dangerous position just wide, before Fabinho tested PSG goalkeeper Kevin Trapp with a powerful long-range strike that the German pushed over for a corner.

The champions came close to opening the scoring in the dying minutes of the first half when Lucas fired a powerful low shot from just outside the area, Danijel Subasic reacting sharply to keep out the Brazilian’s attempt, before denying Cavani from the rebound, too.

The away side started the second half fast as Silva set up Falcao after a good run, but the Colombia international failed to beat Trapp from inside the area, with Lemar’s attempt from the rebound blocked by Adrien Rabiot.

PSG were forced to make a change when Trapp suffered a hamstring injury and made way for Alphonse Areola, who had little trouble collecting a Tiemoue Bakayoko shot from 25 yards out on his first assignment.

Draxler could have won it for PSG when he beat his marker to Layvin Kurzawa’s cross from the left with 15 minutes left on the clock, but the Germany international’s header went just over the crossbar.

There would be plenty of late drama, though, as referee Frank Schneider pointed to the spot after Draxler went to ground inside the area following a challenge from Djibril Sidibe. Cavani kept his cool from 12 yards, sending Subasic the wrong way to hand PSG the lead.

But Monaco would not give up and Silva beat Areola with a low shot from 20 yards out, via a slight deflection, putting Monaco top and arguably in control of the title race thanks to their astonishing +43 goal difference.