PARIS — Champion Paris St Germain suffered a shock 3-1 defeat at Monaco Sunday, suggesting it may find it harder to retain its Ligue 1 crown after last season’s complete domination.
PSG won the title by 31 points in May, losing only two games, but it was outclassed by Monaco which finished third last term.
Monaco moved to the top of the table, level with Guingamp and Nice on seven points from three matches and one ahead of PSG which won its first two games of the season.
Joao Moutinho put the home team ahead after 13 minutes and Fabinho doubled the lead with a penalty on the stroke of halftime.
Edinson Cavani pulled one back for the champion with a header but Serge Aurier’s own goal 10 minutes from time secured a deserved victory for Monaco who were far more clinical than their opponents.
Palermo holds Inter
Inter Milan showed signs of improvement in a 1-1 draw with Palermo Sunday in its home opener at San Siro.
The Nerazzurri’s preparations for Serie A were slowed by the departure of Roberto Mancini less than two weeks before the season started and new manager Frank de Boer had a rough start with a 2-0 loss at Chievo Verona last weekend.
While Inter dominated the first half, it was another difficult game as Andrea Rispoli put Palermo ahead three minutes after the break with the visitors’ first shot on goal.
However, Inter’s prized striker Mauro Icardi equalized in the 72nd after being left alone inside the box to head home a cross from newly-signed Antonio Candreva.
Brazilian-born Italy forward Eder nearly won it for Inter with another header from a Candreva cross five minutes later but the ball went wide.
Ivan Perisic, Gary Medel and Icardi each produced chances early on for Inter.
“My goal isn’t important, because if you don’t win there are no important goals,” said Icardi, who was the joint Serie A scoring leader with 22 goals in 2014-15. “We played well and we created a lot but the ball didn’t go in.”
Also, Roma wasted a two-goal advantage in a 2-2 draw at Cagliari that followed a Champions League playoff loss to Porto.
Genoa, Sassuolo, Juventus and Sampdoria each have a full six points after the opening two rounds, while Napoli is two points behind.
Genoa came back from a goal down to defeat Crotone 3-1, while Sassuolo, last season’s revelation with a sixth-place finish, beat promoted Pescara 2-1.
Sampdoria beat Atalanta 2-1 with goals from Fabio Quagliarella and Edgar Barreto. Franck Kessie, a 19-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder, had put Atalanta ahead, giving him three goals with his first three shots on target attempted in Serie A.
Fiorentina defeated Chievo Verona 1-0 with a goal from Colombia midfielder Carlos Sanchez, who is on loan from Aston Villa.
Also, it was: Torino 5, Bologna 1; and Udinese 2, Empoli 0.
A moment of silence was observed before each match to mourn the nearly 300 victims of an earthquake in central Italy Wednesday. — Agencies
