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Reuters
Reuters
Sport

PSG beat Nice to go top as Barca clash looms

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain v OGC Nice - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - February 13, 2021 Paris St Germain's Kylian Mbappe in action with OGC Nice's Andy Pelmard and Alexis Claude-Maurice REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

Paris St Germain geared up for their Champions League trip to Barcelona with a 2-1 home win against Nice that sent them top of the Ligue 1 standings on Saturday.

Italy striker Moise Kean netted the winner after Rony Lopes's 50th-minute goal had cancelled out Julian Draxler's opener for PSG in the first half.

The French champions are on 54 points from 25 games and lead Lille, who host Brest on Sunday, on goal difference with Olympique Lyonnais in third place on 52 points.

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain v OGC Nice - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - February 13, 2021 OGC Nice's Hicham Boudaoui in action with Paris St Germain's Marquinho, Keylor Navas and Leandro Paredes REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

Lyon slumped to a 2-1 defeat at home against Montpellier that ended their four-game winning streak in the league.

The result left Nice in 13th place with 29 points from 24 matches.

PSG, who face Barca in their Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday, were without three key players with Neymar and Angel Di Maria injured while Marco Verratti was nursing a knock he sustained in a 1-0 French Cup win at Caen on Wednesday.

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain v OGC Nice - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - February 13, 2021 Paris St Germain's Julian Draxler celebrates scoring their first goal with Presnel Kimpembe and teammates REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

The Italian was replaced by Draxler, who lived up to the task as he drove the ball home from close range after Mauro Icardi's attempt had bounced off the post into his path in the 22nd minute.

Nice, however, stepped up a gear after the break and Lopes equalised with a powerful shot under the crossbar following a rare poor clearance by Marquinhos.

The visitors went close to taking the lead on the hour but Amine Gouiri's attempt crashed against the bar.

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain v OGC Nice - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - February 13, 2021 Paris St Germain's Kylian Mbappe celebrates their second goal with Mauro Icardi, Thilo Kehrer and Idrissa Gueye REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

Kean punished them in the 76th minute, heading home from point-blank range to give PSG all three points after Icardi had stretched in the air to deflect Kylian Mbappe's cross.

It was Kean's 10th goal in 17 league games.

"We have to be ready for Tuesday. And we will be," coach Mauricio Pochettino told a news conference.

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain v OGC Nice - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - February 13, 2021 Paris St Germain's Layvin Kurzawa looks dejected as OGC Nice's Rony Lopes celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

At the Groupama stadium, Teji Savanier headed home the opener for visitors Montpellier, only for Lucas Paqueta to level on the stroke of halftime as he poked the ball home after keeper Jonas Omlin had parried away Houssem Aouar's header.

But Lyon were clumsy up front and it was Montpellier who secured the win thanks to Sepe Wahi's second-half strike after Anthony Lopes failed to block Savanier's free kick.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis)

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