Monaco will have reason to be feeling aggrieved after their 2-2 draw with Auxerre on Sunday, a result which left Didier Deschamps' side short of moving up to third position in the French league.
After Lyon affirmed their ambitions to defend their title on Saturday with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Istres, and with second placed Marseille coasting to a 2-1 win over Lens, Monaco were hoping to be third and among the Champions League qualifier candidates by Sunday night.
However their plans were scuppered after Jean-Sebastien Jaures converted a dubious late penalty for the hosts to level the scores for Auxerre and leave the Burgundy with a share of the points.
"It's a good point for us," conceded Monaco coach Didier Deschamps."We would have been happier with the three points, but what could we do when a penalty like that is given?"
In a match which went from end to end throughout, Monaco were kept in the game by their superb keeper Flavio Roma who saved their skin on numerous occasions, especially in a dramatic second half.
But the Italian could do little about the penalty awarded by the referee Pascal Vileo, who pointed to the spot in the 75th minute after Kanga Akale had tumbled inexplicably to the ground two seconds after the slightest of contacts with a Monaco defender.
Jaures converted the penalty, leaving Roma rooted to the spot as the ball rolled low into his bottom right hand corner.
Before then Julien Rodriguez had given Monaco, who exited the Champions League in midweek, the opening they were looking for just before the half time interval by backward heading a Ernesto Chevanton free kick past Fabien Cool in the Auxerre net.
But only eight minutes after the restart Luigi Pieroni, unmarked, slotted home the easiest of goals past Roma to level after collecting the ball from the left wing as Monaco's defence was at sixes and sevens.
Monaco replied quickly though and were celebrating rocking the imaginary baby cradle after Francois Modesto slotted home from close range.
Both teams spurned chances to score, but Auxerre pulled ahead after the penalty converted by Jaures.
In the dying moments Monaco striker Shabano Nonda had his head buried in his hands after he first-timed a golden chance inches past Cool's right-hand post.
Earlier in the day Lille, who sit in third, failed to get the better of highflying Toulouse in a 1-1 draw.
Nigerian striker Peter Odimwingie had opened the scoring for the hosts with a superb goal in the 61st minute, although Daniel Moreira equalised less than quarter of an hour later.
The result left Lille (48) still in third place, three points behind Marseille who have an eight-point deficit to leaders Lyon. Monaco are fourth on 46 points but three ahead of Auxerre.
On Saturday Lyon had to fight to secure their 2-1 home win over bottom club Istres.
Sidney Govou's superb 78th minute strike helped secure the points only days after the reigning champions demolished German champions Werder Bremen 7-2.
"Winning this match keeps us a step ahead of our rivals," said Sylvain Wiltord, who scored a hat trick in the Bremen tie.
"We go out to win every match, but sometimes it's just not possible. We were lucky to get the win, but it keeps us well on track for our main objective, which is to defend our title."