|
Monaco sealed the final Champions League spot in Ligue 1 with a season-ending 1-0 win at Lorient.
Yannick Ferreira Carrasco scored the only goal after 20 minutes in a game which Monaco dominated to such effect that they could afford for Anthony Martial to miss a second-half penalty.
Lorient suffered their first defeat in five games but their late surge of form was enough to ensure they finished the campaign six points above the drop zone.
Monaco had the best chance inside the opening quarter hour, but, following some neat build up play orchestrated by Joao Moutinho, Bernardo Silva could only find the side-nettng of Benjamin Lecomte's goal from inside the area.
The visitors made a deserved breakthrough in the 20th minute when Silva's clever ball into the box found Carrasco and the young Belgian forward fired through Lecomte's legs to give Monaco the advantage.
Monaco could easily have been awarded a penalty just before the half four when Lamine Gassam appeared to keep out Layvin Kurzawa's effort with his hand but referee Tony Chapron was not convinced.
And they almost doubled their lead just before the break as Kurzawa did well to rise highest in the area from Moutinho's corner, but his glancing header is well kept out by Yann Jouffre on his own goal line.
Monaco's dominance continued after the restart and the visitors were awarded a penalty after chaos inside the Lorient area resulted in a Lamine Kone handball, but, after Martial took charge, he saw his effort superbly saved by Lecomte.
Carrasco tried to make amends for his team-mate's miss soon after and forced another save from Lecomte with a left-footed half-volley from 20 yards.
Lorient had a rare chance when Kone headed Walid Mesloub's corner into Mehdi Mostefa's pass, but he could only fire wide from close range.
But Monaco were then denied again, this time by the linesman's flag when Wallace headed Silva's delivery beyond Lecomte.
ends
|
MON
