Google+ PLANET FOOT 7: Falcao scores and take Monaco to the top of ''Ligue 1''.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Falcao scores and take Monaco to the top of ''Ligue 1''.

 AS Monaco FC returned to the summit of the Ligue 1 table thanks to a Radamel Falcao penalty which gave the principality side a 1-0 win over FC Lorient on Sunday.

Having seen Paris Saint-Germain leapfrog his team 48 hours earlier, Claudio Ranieri would have been looking for a response from his squad. He got a relatively sobre one, but Falcao found the net, slotting house a sixth-minute penalty to preserve his new club unbeaten and top of the pile ahead of their vacation to the Parc des Princes in a week's time.With Geoffrey Kondogbia, the last of Monaco's summer signings, finally making his bow, Ranieri's men did not take long to profit into their stride. Joao Moutinho had already brought a flying save from Fabien Audard before the Lorient 'keeper sent Falcao tumbling in the crate - the Colombian international had tiny hesitation in stroking house his fourth of the season.

It was a strong opening from the hosts, who might have added a second when Lucas Ocampos' cross evaded Audard only for Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco and Layvin Kurzawa to get in each other's way as they sought to smuggle the ball house at the back post.

There was a same close-miss when Falcao threw himself only to narrowly fail to connect with Kurzawa's low cross as Monaco threatened to sweep the game away from the visitors. Yet, Lorient had hope when Sadio Diallo slotted house a Yann Jouffre cross only for the assistant referee's flag to cut short his celebrations.

A rocket of a shot from Fabinho, which struck an upright, restored the pattern of play in the hosts' favour, but they were unable to construct on the early platform provided by their star 60 million striker.

Lacking inspiration in the second half, perhaps a consequence of a number of their side having featured for their countries in midweek, last season's Ligue 2 champions did little more than withhold at bay their opponents, who have now picked up just a single point in eight visits to the Stade Louis II.

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