Akliouche shines as resurgent Monaco beats slumping Lyon and Lille wins at Marseille

PARIS — Maghnes Akliouche illuminated Groupama Stadium with a dazzling solo strike and American forward Folarin Balogun converted a second-half penalty as AS Monaco came from behind to defeat Olympique Lyon 2-1 on Sunday, sealing a sixth consecutive Ligue 1 victory for the principality club.

The win keeps Monaco’s momentum surging while deepening Lyon’s woes, and the round was further highlighted by Lille’s triumph at Stade Vélodrome against Marseille, tightening the race at the top of the table.

Akliouche’s moment of brilliance arrived after Lyon had taken an early lead, the midfielder weaving past defenders before finishing emphatically to level the contest. Balogun then calmly dispatched from the spot to complete the turnaround, ensuring Monaco left with all three points and extending the league’s longest active winning streak.

With the victory, Monaco continues to climb the standings, capitalizing on the struggles of traditional powers Lyon, who have now slumped through another defeat. Elsewhere, Lille’s away success against Marseille underlined the shifting balance of force in the division, as the northerners strengthened their own European ambitions.

The results set up a fascinating mid-table logjam and intensify the pressure on Lyon to reverse their form before the season slips further from their grasp.