Falcao rescues a point for Monaco after Balotelli double

PARIS: Radamel Falcao scored an injury-time equaliser to snatch Monaco a 2-2 draw with a Mario Balotelli-inspired Nice in a Ligue 1 match on Tuesday while Marseille recorded their third straight win by overcoming Strasbourg.

Monaco took a first-half lead at the Stade Louis II through Adama Diakhaby, but Balotelli turned in an equaliser less than two minutes into the second period for his 18th goal.

The enigmatic Italian completed his double in the 68th minute, but Falcao stabbed in on his return from injury in the second minute of added time.

“That’s Falcao. He’s a forward who takes chances, like Balotelli. That’s what great strikers do,” said Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim.

The point extended Nice’s unbeaten run to seven league games, Monaco will still slip out of the three Champions League places depending on the result of yesterday’s late match between Lyon and Guingamp.

“It’s his (Balotelli) first match since December. He was a bit behind following the short winter break,” said Nice coach Lucien Favre.

“He’s progressed slowly, it takes time. But he’s coming from a long, long way back.”

Late goals from substitutes Clinton N’Jie and Dimitri Payet sealed a 2-0 home victory for Marseille over Strasbourg.

Valere Germain saw a 72nd-minute penalty saved by Strasbourg goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja, but N’Jie pounced to slam in with 11 minutes to play.

Payet finished off the victory for Rudi Garcia’s men with a brilliantly-taken goal late on.

It was only the 30-year-old’s third goal from 22 games this season in all competitions, but it arrived in style as his outrageous dummy left Oukidja flailing and set up a simple finish.

Elsewhere, Bordeaux slipped to a fifth defeat in six league games as they were beaten 2-0 by Caen. AFP