Ligue 1: Racing Strasbourg holds PSG to 2-2 draw, delays title celebrations

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Sports, Football

Victory would have given PSG their eighth Ligue 1 title after Lille earlier drew 1-1 at Stade de Reims.

Sunday’s draw left Thomas Tuchel’s side on 81 points from 30 games. (Photo: AFP)

Paris: Paris St Germain’s Ligue 1 title celebrations were delayed on Sunday when they dropped their first points at home this season in a 2-2 draw against Racing Strasbourg.

Victory would have given PSG their eighth Ligue 1 title after Lille earlier drew 1-1 at Stade de Reims but Sunday’s draw left Thomas Tuchel’s side on 81 points from 30 games.

Second-placed Lille have 61 points from 31 matches.

Eric Choupo-Moting’s early opener was cancelled out by Nuno Da Costa before Anthony Goncalves put the visitors ahead in the 38th minute.

Thilo Kehrer levelled in the 82nd minute but that was too little, too late for PSG, who until Sunday had won all of their 15 league matches at the Parc des Princes this season.

With Kylian Mbappe on the bench and Angel Di Maria, Edinson Cavani and Neymar all injured, Choupo-Moting was the only striker on the pitch and he opened the scoring after 13 minutes from inside the box.

He was later in the path of Christophe Nkunku’s delicate chip, farcically stopping the ball on the goal line to prevent his own side from moving 2-1 up after Da Costa’s equaliser from close range in the 26th.

Goncalves’s stunning volley from 18 metres put Strasbourg ahead seven minutes before the break against a PSG side who had previously been behind on the scoreline for only three minutes in Ligue 1 this season.

Tuchel eventually sent Mbappe on the pitch to take Choupo-Moting’s place and the France striker had an immediate impact, unsettling the Strasbourg defence with his devastating runs.

Dani Alves came close to an equaliser in the 69th minute, only for his spectacular overhead kick to crash on to the crossbar.

PSG made it 2-2 eight minutes from time when Kehrer headed home but despite the late efforts of Mbappe and Alves, the hosts were left frustrated.

They will wrap up their sixth title in the last seven seasons if they avoid defeat at Lille next Sunday.

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