French Ligue 1: Lyon held by PSG after Zlatan Ibrahimovic penalty

Lyon stayed top of Ligue 1 but they remain just two points clear of Paris St Germain after Zlatan Ibrahimovic's penalty rescued a 1-1 draw for the defending champions.

The winner at the Stade Municipal de Gerland on Sunday would have ended the night top of the standings, and Lyon drew first blood through Clinton Njie's 34th-minute strike.

That would have taken Les Gones four points clear, but Ibrahimovic pegged them back with his 69th-minute spot-kick to keep PSG third, level on points with Marseille, and still in touch with the league leaders.

PSG did have the ball in the net as early as the seventh minute when Ibrahimovic superbly volleyed Thiago Silva's pass beyond Anthony Lopes but the Swede's effort was rightly chalked off for offside.

In what was a pulsating start to the encounter, Lyon responded and Yoan Gourcuff saw an effort on target blocked by David Luiz before Corentin Tolisso's follow-up beat Salvatore Sirigu but found the post before bouncing clear.

At the other end Edison Cavani and Luiz were both guilty of glaring misses, the latter seeing a close range effort superbly saved by Lopes before the Brazilian defender headed wide from just six yards.

Then, with little over half hour played, the hosts made the crucial breakthrough when Njie headed a cross into Nabil Fekir's path before receiving a superb return pass and powering the ball beyond Sirigu.

As half-time approached Lyon were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Luiz floored Gourcuff inside the area, but the former Chelsea defender was given a let-off and the one goal advantage remained at the break.

PSG came out with similar intent after the interval and only a magnificent two-handed Lopes save prevented Ibrahimovic from levelling with a header after Maxwell picked him out.

However, PSG's talismanic striker was gifted the perfect opportunity for his first of the game when Lindsay Rose hauled down Marco Verratti and the referee pointed at the spot.

The impressive Lopes made a magnificent save to deny Ibrahimovic but, after a retake was ordered, the Sweden international made no mistake the second time round, powering the ball into the top corner.

Tempers were beginning to fray, as Lyon goalkeeping coach Joel Bats was sent to the stands, and as the full-time whistle drew closer both sides had the opportunity to take all three points.

Firstly Sirigu flapped at a corner only for Arnold Mvuemba to blaze over before Ibrahimovic nodded down for Verratti at the other end the but the Italian international's volley was blocked before seemingly heading for the back of the net.