Falcao fires 60-goal Monaco to the top

AFP, PARIS: Monaco climbed top of Ligue 1 after thrashing Marseille 4-1 away on Sunday as the free-scoring southerners took their goal haul to 60 from just 20 league games.
The result puts Monaco top on goal difference as Nice, who slugged out a 0-0 draw with bottom side Metz earlier in the day, also have 45 points. Champions Paris Saint Germain are third on 42 after a narrow win at Rennes on Saturday.
Lyon are eight points further back in fourth after being beaten 3-2 at Caen on Sunday.
A neat lob from a tight angle from Thomas Lemar on 16 minutes was followed by a slick Radamel Falcao run and shot as Monaco went 2-0 up.
The lead was against the run of play after Remy Cabella had gone close twice at the other end as a raucous Velodrome public seemed to lift the hosts.
A towering Rolando Jorge header gave the home side hope at 2-1 but livewire midfielder Bernardo Silva stormed past a sleepy defence just before half-time to bullet a header home. He caught the defence napping again just ahead of the hour for a resounding 4-1 away win.
“We deserved the three points and the four goals, because Marseille were good today,” said Portugal star Silva.
“We have to go on in this way and go for the title—we’re also going to go as far as we can in the Champions League,” said Silva, whose rampaging runs will have caught the attention of Manchester City whom they play in the last-16.
PSG were delighted Saturday when new boy Julian Draxler produced a brilliant first-time finish to earn a 1-0 win at Rennes on his Ligue 1 debut.
Nice were playing without arguably their best players as Mario Balotelli was serving a ban and Younes Belhanda is out injured. The club’s top scorer Alassane Plea, with 10 Ligue 1 goals so far this campaign, had a poor afternoon and hit the post late on with the best chance of the match.
Midfield general Jean-Michael Seri is also away at the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast. Despite these absences Metz looked to be a soft opponent and the visitors will be happy with an away point that nevertheless leaves them bottom on goal difference.

Falcao fires 60-goal Monaco to the top

AFP, PARIS: Monaco climbed top of Ligue 1 after thrashing Marseille 4-1 away on Sunday as the free-scoring southerners took their goal haul to 60 from just 20 league games. The result puts Monaco top on goal difference as Nice, who slugged out a 0-0 draw with bottom side Metz earlier in the day, also have 45 points. Champions Paris Saint Germain are third on 42 after a narrow win at Rennes on Saturday. Lyon are eight points further back in fourth after being beaten 3-2 at Caen on Sunday. A neat lob from a tight angle from Thomas Lemar on 16 minutes was followed by a slick Radamel Falcao run and shot as Monaco went 2-0 up. The lead was against the run of play after Remy Cabella had gone close twice at the other end as a raucous Velodrome public seemed to lift the hosts. A towering Rolando Jorge header gave the home side hope at 2-1 but livewire midfielder Bernardo Silva stormed past a sleepy defence just before half-time to bullet a header home. He caught the defence napping again just ahead of the hour for a resounding 4-1 away win. We deserved the three points and the four goals, because Marseille were good today, said Portugal star Silva. We have to go on in this way and go for the titlewere also going to go as far as we can in the Champions League, said Silva, whose rampaging runs will have caught the attention of Manchester City whom they play in the last-16. PSG were delighted Saturday when new boy Julian Draxler produced a brilliant first-time finish to earn a 1-0 win at Rennes on his Ligue 1 debut. Nice were playing without arguably their best players as Mario Balotelli was serving a ban and Younes Belhanda is out injured. The clubs top scorer Alassane Plea, with 10 Ligue 1 goals so far this campaign, had a poor afternoon and hit the post late on with the best chance of the match. Midfield general Jean-Michael Seri is also away at the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast. Despite these absences Metz looked to be a soft opponent and the visitors will be happy with an away point that nevertheless leaves them bottom on goal difference.