Monaco move three points clear of PSG after win over Toulouse

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:44 am

Ligue 1 leaders Monaco moved three points clear of second-placed Paris Saint-Germain after coming from behind to defeat Toulouse 3-1 at home.

Having failed to convert domination of possession into goals in the first half, Leonardo Jardim's men found themselves 1-0 down seconds after the break when Ola Toivonen punished a Jemerson mistake by firing in.

But the hosts swiftly levelled through Kamil Glik's header, and strikes from Kylian Mbappe and Thomas Lemar then steered them to victory.

The gap between Monaco and PSG is extended to three points with both sides now having played 34 games.

The capital club are in action on Sunday when they face third-placed Nice away.

After changing virtually his entire starting line-up for Wednesday's 5-0 Coupe de France semi-final defeat at PSG, Jardim brought his top players back for this contest.

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There was a scare for the principality side in the 10th minute when Andy Delort headed just wide of their goal from an Oscar Trejo free-kick, and the latter delivered a corner six minutes later that was met by Christopher Jullien, who sent his header too high.

But thereafter Monaco were the ones on the offensive, with Toulouse goalkeeper Alban Lafont producing saves to keep out efforts from the lively Benjamin Mendy and Bernardo Silva.

That pair saw subsequent attempts go off-target, and Monaco's frustration continued as Mbappe was thwarted while shooting by an interception from Issa Diop.

That feeling will have only intensified in the first minute of the second half when Jemerson made a mess of trying to clear a Toulouse cross and the loose ball was sent in off Danijel Subasic by Toivonen.

Monaco responded by going straight back on the attack and three minutes later Glik nodded in the equaliser from Joao Moutinho's ball into the box.

Toivonen had a header well saved by Subasic soon after, before Monaco applied more pressure which yielded another goal in the 64th minute, Mbappe drilling in a low strike to register his 14th Ligue 1 goal of the season.

Lemar then added his side's third with 15 minutes to go, side-footing in from close-range having been teed up by a Nabil Dirar cross.

Radamel Falcao almost made it 4-1 as his shot came back off the post, and Subasic denied substitute Dodi Lukebakio from pulling another goal back for Toulouse.