by Nick Reeves
PARIS, Sept 12 (AFP) - Paris Saint Germain were heading for a painful fall against first division newcomers Istres ahead of Tuesday`s Champions League clash with Chelsea until Pauleta stepped in to save their blushes.
The Portuguese international`s 61th minute penalty cancelled out Rafik Saifi`s second minute header to force a 1-1 draw and leave underachieving PSG still searching for their first win of the season.
The sound of the referee`s starting whistle had barely faded when Vahid Halilhodzic`s expensively assembled outfit were on the back foot after Adel Chedli picked out Saifi who caught PSG keeper Lionel Letizi wrongfooted to give the hosts an unlikely lead.
PSG turned up the tempo but Istres doggedly held onto their advantage until their goalkeeper Laurent Weber brought down Reinaldo in the box - with Pauleta, who was brought on after the interval, converting the spot kick.
The result left PSG toiling in 14th place with a mere three points harvested from the first five matches - less than ideal circumstances to host Jose Mourinho`s Premiership highflyers at the Parc des Princes.
Monaco teeed up for their trip to Anfield to play Liverpool on Wednesday in much more encouraging fashion with a 3-1 win over strugglers Strasbourg.
An early goal from Emmanuel Adebayor with Mohamed Kallon adding a second from the penalty spot and Argentine Sebastien Squillaci completing the scoring to lift last season`s Champions League finalists from ninth to fifth.
The musical chairs at the top of the table meanwhile continued with Toulouse becoming the fifth different leader in as many weeks after the Pyrennean side prised the summit away from Metz courtesy of a 3-1 win over Corsican side Ajaccio.
Metz, level on 11 points wth Toulouse, are lying second on goal difference after a goalless draw against Bordeaux while the other surprise package Bastia are in third aftter beating Auxerre 1-0.
Lyon were involved in an extraordinary tie away to Rennes, the champions winning 2-1 with all the goals coming in the final ten minutes.
With former Arsenal forward Sylvain Wiltord starting his first game for Lyon on the bench it was another new recruit, Brazilian striker Nilmar, who earned the three points.
With the game heading towards a draw he came on as a substitute with quarter of an hour remaining, and in the 81st minute broke the stalemate, adding a second six minutes later.
Rennes` new signing Dudu Caerense got a consolation goal in injury time.
The win came at the right time as Lyon, seeking their fourth straight title, prepare to host Manchester United in midweek.
On Sunday, Sochaux beat Marseille 2-0 at home thanks to goals from Jeremy Mathieu and Santos.