The Albany Gazette - PSG scrape draw against Rennes with last-gasp Ramos penalty

Brest are second in Ligue 1, 11 points back, after beating Strasbourg 3-0 on Saturday.

Monaco jumped to third, two points further behind, on Sunday when Japan striker Takumi Minamino scored in the second minute of added time to give them a last-gasp 3-2 win at Lens.

Also on Sunday, Nice drew 0-0 at home with bottom-club Clermont and are a point behind in fourth. Lille lost 3-1 at Toulouse and are fifth.

Rennes, who beat AC Milan in the Europa League on Thursday, rested Benjamin Bourigeaud, scorer of a hat-trick against the Italians, and Martin Terrier.

They still took the lead when Amine Gouiri fired a shot into the top corner in the 39th minute.

PSG took off star striker Kylian Mbappe after an hour.

As the home side pressed desperately for an equaliser in added time, Ramos was booked for diving in an attempt to win a penalty. Moments later, he plunged over goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.

This time a video review went in favour of the Portuguese striker, who converted the spot kick to save PSG's two unbeaten runs: 18 games in Ligue 1 going back to September and 19 in all competitions since October.

The victory also saved PSG from losing at home to Rennes for a second straight season. The Breton club have beaten PSG seven times since the Qatari takeover in 2011. No other French team has more victories over the Parisians in that time.

In Lens, United States international Folarin Balogun put Monaco ahead after just 19 minutes. Minamino then doubled the lead on the half-hour.

Lens struck back immediately through Elye Wahi. Wesley Said levelled in the 77th minute.

The hosts, who lost at Freiburg in the Europa League on Thursday, faded in the last 10 minutes.

-'What a match!' -

Balogun squandered an 83rd-minute penalty but Minamino saved his teammate's blushes however by drilling home in stoppage time.

"What a match!" said Monaco coach Adi Hutter. "A great battle put up by Lens."

"I hope this match will give us a lot of confidence for our next game against Paris Saint-Germain," said Hutter.

In Nice, home goalkeeper Marcin Bulka threw himself to his left at the end of the first half to save a penalty from Shamar Nicholson. It was Bulka's fourth save from six penalties he has faced in all competitions this season.

Nice have one win in their last six games.

"The performance was not brilliant," said Nice coach Francesco Farioli, but "it's not a tragedy."

Lille's poor away form continued as they threw away a half-time lead to lose at Toulouse, who ended their own winless home run.

Lille dominated the first half and took the lead in added time with a goal from Hakon Haraldsson.

Toulouse, whose only home victory since October 1 was over Liverpool in the Europa League, hit three goals in a 17-minute burst.

Christian Mawissa levelled following a corner in the 49th minute.

Substitute Yann Gboho won a penalty eight minutes later that another half-time replacement, Vincent Sierro, converted.

Gboho then set up Thijs Dallinga for the third in the 66th minute.

Lille have not won away in Ligue 1 since November 26.

(A.Thompson--TAG)