PARIS (AP) — American forward Folarin Balogun scored for the eighth straight league game as Monaco rallied to draw 2-2 with struggling Auxerre in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
Monaco is one of several sides chasing a Champions League place next season, with the top three getting through directly and the side in fourth entering qualifying. The draw kept Monaco in seventh place with four games left.
Later Sunday, league leader Paris Saint-Germain hosted Lyon.
Balogun equalized with a penalty in the 59th minute after being knocked over by goalkeeper Donovan Léon when trying to go around him. Former Barcelona midfielder Ansu Fati got Monaco’s other goal with a low drive from the edge of the penalty area three minutes earlier.
Midfielder Kévin Danois and striker Lassine Sinayoko put Auxerre 2-0 up in the first half.
Monaco is three points behind Rennes, which moved into fourth place after cruising to a 3-0 win at Strasbourg, and two behind Marseille in fifth spot. Marseille lost 2-0 at Lorient on Saturday for a third defeat in four games, prompting a scathing attack on the players from the club’s sporting director.
Auxerre is in 16th place, the relegation-promotion playoff spot against the side finishing third in Ligue 2.
Lepaul scores again
Esteban Lepaul opened the scoring for Rennes and moved top of the Ligue 1 charts with 17 goals.
Striker Breel Embolo made it 2-0 shortly after the break and Jordan’s Mousa Al-Tamari netted the third as Rennes won its seventh match in the past nine games.
Rock-bottom Metz slid closer to relegation after losing 3-1 at home to Paris FC, which is unbeaten in seven since coach Antoine Kombouaré took charge, and 17th-placed Nantes conceded deep into stoppage time in a 1-1 home draw with Brest.
In Friday’s game, second-placed Lens rallied from 2-0 down to beat Toulouse 3-2.
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