PSG Held To 1-1 Draw By Nice As Nuno Mendes Equalises Late In Ligue 1 Clash

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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) missed the opportunity to regain the top position in Ligue 1 after a tense 1-1 draw against Nice. Nuno Mendes secured a point for PSG with a crucial goal. Nice began the match with intensity, unsettling PSG's defence early on. Ali Al-Abdi capitalised on this, scoring six minutes before halftime with a powerful shot from a corner.

Ousmane Dembele, who had been benched during the midweek Champions League match, played a pivotal role in PSG's equaliser. He set up Mendes, whose deflected shot found the net seven minutes into the second half. Shortly after, Marquinhos nearly scored again for PSG but his header from Lee Kang-in's cross hit the post.

Despite PSG's relentless pressure towards the end of the match, Nice held their ground. Goalkeeper Marcin Bulka made crucial saves against efforts by Vitinha and Dembele. This result leaves PSG trailing Monaco by two points as they head into the international break.

The week has been challenging for PSG, who also faced a 2-0 loss to Arsenal in the Champions League. Against Nice, they dominated possession with 19 shots, 14 of which came in an assertive second half. Despite this dominance, they only achieved an expected goals (xG) value of 0.97.

Mendes' goal was particularly notable as it came from an effort valued at just 0.05 xG. Gianluigi Donnarumma remained untested throughout the match as Nice failed to register any shots on target.

As PSG heads into the international break, they remain focused on closing the gap with Monaco at the top of Ligue 1. The team will need to convert their dominance into victories to reclaim their position as league leaders.