Monarch of Monaco
In-form Falcao scores twice as French champs thump Lille
PARIS: Radamel Falcao scored a brace as French champions Monaco romped to a 4-0 thumping of Lille at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy to pile the pressure on home coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Stevan Jovetic and Rachid Ghezzal put Monaco in control at half-time with their first goals for the club since joining from Inter Milan and Lyon respectively.
The in-form Falcao piled more misery onto the hosts with a second-half brace to reach 11 league goals for the season.
Monaco move level on points with early leaders Paris St Germain while Monaco will turn their attentions to Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Porto.
“Now is the moment to prepare for the match with Porto. For us, the next match is always the most important,” said Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim.
“Winning 4-0 at Lille, it’s a great result.”
New Lille coach Bielsa is under increasing pressure, as his men are now winless in six matches since their opening-day victory over Nantes, a run during which they have only scored once.
The Argentinian had insisted earlier in the week that he would not walk out on the club like he did at Marseille two years ago, but his team’s pitiful display could test his resolve.
In Friday’s first match, Mario Balotelli scored his sixth goal of the season in all competitions as Nice fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Angers at the Allianz Riviera.
Nice trailed 2-0 in the 34th minute after Mateo Pavlovic headed home a free-kick and Karl TokoEkambi scored from close range with a fine volley.
Five minutes later, midfielder Thomas Mangani handled the ball in the box and Balotelli converted the penalty by sending goalkeeper Alexandre Letellier the wrong way.
Traore was unfortunate to beat Letellier in the 76th minute when he inadvertently diverted the ball in while trying to clear a free-kick. — AFP