Tchouameni on target as Monaco provisionally climb to second in Ligue 1

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Monaco chalked up an eighth consecutive victory to go provisionally second in Ligue 1 after Aurelien Tchouameni's double strike earned them a 2-1 win at Lille on Friday.

Midfielder Tchouameni scored either side of the interval to put the principality side on 65 points from 36 matches and they lead third-place Olympique de Marseille, who play their game in hand at Lorient on Sunday, on goal difference.

The top two teams will qualify directly for the Champions League group stage while the third-placed side will play in the third qualifying.

Lille, who won the Ligue 1 title last year, equalised through Angel Gomes before Monaco completed a deserved victory.

Lille are in 10th place on 51 points.

They had a huge task ahead of them against in-form Monaco as they had to cope with the absence of strikers Burak Yilmaz and Renato Sanches, both suspended after being sent off last weekend.

The local fans highlighted the frustration they felt with their side by holding up a banner across a stand at the Pierre Mauroy stadium which declared 'you're on holidays, so are we'.

In a rather dull first half, Monaco found the back of the net three minutes before the break when Wissam Ben Yedder set up Tchouameni for his France team mate to beat Leo Jardim with a low shot from just outside the area.

Lille levelled in the 69th minute through Gomes, who netted with a fine curled shot, but the hosts' joy as short-lived.

Six minutes later, Tchouameni stunned Jardim with a powerful 25-metre shot that bounced off the post and into the net.