Falcao Back On The Goal Trail As Monaco Go Top

Radamel Falcao brought his Ligue 1 goal "drought" to an end at 307 minutes as Monaco beat Lyon 2-1 to move into first place in Ligue 1.

The last time Monaco hosted OL in May 2011 a 2-0 loss confirmed the principality club's relegation to Ligue 2. Much has changed since then and now it is Monaco who boast the expensively-assembled squad. Victory was the requirement for  Claudio Ranieri after a two-goal lead was lost at Sochaux in Week 10 and Monaco came up with the goods thanks to fine first-half goals from Mounir Obbadi (28') and Falcao (36'). Bafétimbi Gomis' 62nd-minute header gave OL hope but could not prevent Rémi Garde's side from slumping to their fourth straight away loss in the league. Monaco moved a point above PSG ahead of the champions' Sunday evening match at Saint-Etienne.

Falcao had the game's first attempt in the fifth minute, which Anthony Lopes got in behind, and OL's gameplan of frustrating the hosts worked well until Obbadi's superlative first league goal for the club. A James Rodriguez free-kick was cleared as far as the Moroccan international midfielder some 25 metres from goal and he smashed an unstoppable half-volley into the top corner of Lopes' goal.

A Danijel Subasic error almost allowed Jimmy Briand in to equalise and the Croatian keeper was grateful to left-back Layvin Kurzawa for his challenge on the forward, who featured alongside Gomis as Garde tried out a 4-4-2.

Falcao adds to Obbadi stunner

Kurzawa was involved in Falcao's goal. A long ball forward clipped off Joao Moutinho in midfield and fell into the Colombian's path. After controlling the ball superbly, Falcao showed off his goalscoring prowess as he waited for Lopes to begin to go to ground and lifted it over the goalkeeper to move two goals clear at the top of the Ligue 1 scoring table.

Briand, played in by Steed Malbranque, was denied by Subasic three minutes before half-time and Monaco turned around in a comfortable position. James wasn't far away just before the hour mark after cutting in from the right but then Gomis' excellent header from Henri Bedimo's left-wing centre gave OL something to play for.

Yannick Ferreira Carrasco hit the post as Monaco were unlucky not to score a third and the closest Lyon came to an equaliser was when Briand's shot with the left instep from a Malbranque centre went wide. OL have only two wins from their last 14 in all competitions while Monaco will be in front of their TVs to see whether they will finish the weekend as Ligue 1 leaders.

Culled from Lique1