PARIS (Reuters) – Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain played more than one half with 10 men but salvaged a goalless draw at Stade de Reims on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run this season.
Sergio Ramos picked up a straight red card as tempers flared shortly before halftime but a reshuffled PSG, in the absence of the injured Lionel Messi, managed to keep a clean sheet.
They have 26 points from 10 games and lead Olympique de Marseille, who slumped to a 2-1 home defeat by AC Ajaccio, by three points.
Reims are 14th on eight points.
The hosts played boldly but PSG had the best chance through Mbappe, who was denied from close range by Yehvann Diouf in the 33rd minute.
Ramos, however, picked up a yellow card after arguing with referee Pierre Gaillouste, who an instant later went back to the Spaniard and handed him a straight red card.
Coach Christophe Galtier replaced midfielder Carlos Soler with Neymar as PSG pushed for the win but the visitors lacked ideas and had to be content with sharing the points on a night to forget.
Earlier, Marseille’s second place was under threat on Saturday as they were outfoxed by promoted Ajaccio.
Dimitri Payet’s 100th league goal meant little in the end as it was quickly followed by Bevic Moussiti-Oko’s equaliser and Leonardi Balerdi’s own goal.
Third-placed Lorient will leapfrog them into second place if they beat Brest and fourth-placed RC Lens will also move ahead if they grab all three points in the northern derby at Lille on Sunday.
At the Stade Velodrome, Payet opened the scoring with a spot kick after a Cedric Avinel handball in the 15th minute.
Ten minutes later, however, Moussiti-Oko outpaced the Marseille defence to beat Ruben Blanco with a left-footed effort.
The visitors went ahead two minutes into the second half when Balerdi deflected Youssouf Kone’s cross into his own net and Marseille’s only clear chance then came in the 55th minute when Oumar Gonzalez almost scored an own goal, too.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
