Monaco Wins 2-0 At Brest To Move Into Second Spot In French League. Leader PSG Hosts Lyon – News18

PARIS: Monaco won 2-0 at rival Brest to move up to second place in the French league behind Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.

Defending champion PSG hosted Lyon later as it chases a record-extending 12th league title.

Monaco is mathematically still in contention. Surprise front-runner Brest dropped to third and sits two points behind Monaco, which has played one game less.

The match ball was delivered in an unusual away — by helicopter with a man hoisted down to the center circle with the ball in a bag.

Switzerland midfielder Denis Zakaria put Monaco ahead in the 40th minute, picking up a loose ball on the left of the penalty area and curling a fine shot into the right corner.

Japan forward Takumi Minamino made it 2-0 just after the break when he turned in a left-wing cross from Krépin Diatta. The goal was disallowed for offside but given when a review ruled Diatta was onside. Monaco finished with nine players after midfielder Eliesse Ben Seghir and defender Wilfried Singo were sent off in stoppage time as tempers frayed.

Also later Sunday, Europa League semifinalist Marseille was at Toulouse.

Rival fans clashed outside the stadium two hours before the kickoff, with steel barriers and other objects thrown down from a large group on a bridge toward another group below near the Marseille supporters’ buses, with no injuries reported.

Earlier, French media reported that one Toulouse supporter was injured in the city center after a group of Marseille fans attacked a bar with local fans inside.

Last weekend, there was a mass street brawl involving around 150 rival fans from Rennes and Toulouse, in a season marred by soccer violence.

OTHER MATCHES

Canada striker Jonathan David scored his 17th league goal of the campaign as fourth-place Lille beat Strasbourg 1-0 to move one point behind Brest, having played one game less.

Metz won 1-0 at Le Havre in a match between relegation battlers, with Metz climbing to 15th and Le Havre dropping to 16th in the relegation-promotion playoff spot.

Georgia midfielder Georges Mikautadze, whose 23 league goals helped Metz to promotion, scored in the 46th minute.

Montpellier won 2—1 at Reims with Jordan winger Mousa Al Tamari grabbing a late winner.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – Associated Press)