Balde off mark for Monaco; Nantes win
paris — Keita Balde netted his first goal since his big-money summer move to Monaco as the reigning French champions eased to a welcome 2-0 victory at home to Caen in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Balde got the opener midway through the first half and the prolific Radamel Falcao added a penalty just before the hour mark as Monaco recorded a first win in five outings in all competitions.
The principality side, beaten 2-1 at home by Besiktas in the Champions League in midweek, are second in the Ligue 1 table, three points behind Paris SaintGermain before the leaders go to bitter rivals Marseille on Sunday.
They are also two points clear of Nantes, who marked veteran coach Claudio Ranieri’s 66th birthday with a late 2-1 victory at home to Guingamp to move up to third.
“Against Besiktas we didn’t play badly, but our opponents were more clinical,” said Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim.
“We worked hard and it was the same today. Of course, Caen are not Besiktas. We won well.”
Senegal forward Balde, 22, was bought late in the summer transfer window from Lazio on a five-year deal for a reported 30 million euros ($35.9 million) after impressing with 16 goals in the Italian top flight last season, despite making only 21 starts.
His signing was made to help fill the void left by Kylian Mbappe, the teenage sensation who was allowed to join PSG on an initial loan deal.
However, Balde has had a slow start to his Monaco career and it took him until the 21st minute of this game at the Stade Louis II to break his duck for his new side.
He was played through by Thomas Lemar and held off his marker before slotting past Caen’s veteran goalkeeper Remy Vercoutre. —