Radamel Falcao goal helps Monaco stay top in Ligue 1

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:56 am

Monaco maintained their unbeaten start to the Ligue 1 season with a comfortable 3-0 win against Rennes at the Stade Louis II.

Skipper for the day Radamel Falcao notched his first goal of the season before Thomas Lemar netted twice late on to ensure Leonardo Jardim's side remained top of Ligue 1.

Looking to keep current champions Paris St Germain at arm's length in the table, Monaco started well but both Valere Germain and Lemar failed to work Benoit Costil with efforts inside the opening 10 minutes.

The hosts continued to dominate proceedings as Adama Traore saw two warning shots at Costil's target end up just wide of the goal while Germain tested the Rennes stopper from just inside the area.

Then three minutes from half-time Monaco got a deserved breakthrough when Almamy Toure's cross fell on the head of Falcao and El Tigre made no mistake from eight yards out with an accomplished finish.

Radamel Falcao and Monaco are sitting atop the Ligue 1 table.
Radamel Falcao and Monaco are sitting atop the Ligue 1 table.
VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images

The one-way traffic continued after the break, with Joao Moutinho drawing a routine stop from Costil with an 18-yard effort before Falcao's ambitious lob from distance ended up the wrong side of the post.

Monaco were almost caught out, though, on 70 minutes when Ramy Bensebaini's effort from outside the area seemed destined for the top corner before Danijel Subasic superbly palmed his effort away for a corner.

That proved to be the visitors' best effort at goal, though, and Monaco wrapped up the points with two goals in the final minutes.

Firstly, some great work from Bernardo Silva gifted Lemar a simple back-post finish on 90 minutes before the same player added his second of the game, and Monaco's third, in added time when his 25-yard effort looped over an advanced Costil to cap off a successful evening.