Balotelli puts Nice seven points clear of PSG, Monaco lose

PARIS: Nice striker Mario Balotelli struck twice as the Ligue 1 leaders won 2-1 at home to Dijon on Sunday to widen the gap over third-placed champions Paris St Germain.

The Italian, who now has eight goals from as many league appearances, scored in each half either side of Julio Tavares’s equaliser for the visitors.

Dijon finished with 10 men after captain Cedric Varrault got two yellow cards in quick succession two minutes from time.

The result put Nice on 43 points from 18 games, seven ahead of PSG, who slumped to their fourth defeat of the season when they lost 2-1 at En Avant Guingamp on Saturday.

Ten-man Monaco went down 3-1 to Olympique Lyonnais for their first league loss in over two months and their first at home this season, leaving them four points off the pace in second. Lyon are fourth on 31 points, with a game in hand, ahead of Guingamp with 29.