Monaco labour to the top of Ligue 1 table

With Radamel Falcao out injured, Monaco rallied to claim a scrappy 2-1 win over Angers at the Stade Louis II on Saturday and move top of the Ligue 1 table.

Falcao was absent after being hospitalised with a blow to the head in the principality club’s 4-0 trouncing at local rivals Nice during the week.

And Leonardo Jardim’s side struggled to get the better of in-form Angers, a Dickson Nwakaeme own goal proving the difference after Kamil Glik had cancelled out Famara Diedhiou’s opener.

The result allowed Monaco to go two points clear of Nice, who visit Nancy yesterday, and Toulouse, conquerors of champions Paris Saint-Germain on Friday.

Youngsters Abdou Diallo and Kevin N’Doram started for Monaco with Jardim having one eye on Tuesday’s Champions League encounter with Bayer Leverkusen.

Angers were chasing a fourth consecutive win and they thought they had taken the lead early in the second half when Karl Toko-Ekambi had the ball in the net but the offside flag cut short the celebrations.

However, the visitors did go in front in controversial circumstances in the 56th minute as leggy Cameroon forward Toko-Ekambi slid the ball across goal for Cheikh Ndoye.

The Angers captain made a mess of his shot and the ball came up and struck his hand before falling for Diedhiou, who scored. The goal stood despite the appeals for a handball.