Radamel Falcao scores hat trick, Mbappe benched as Monaco beat Dijon

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:42 am

Radamel Falcao netted a hat trick while Kylian Mbappe watched from the bench as champions Monaco made it two wins out of two Ligue 1 games so far with a comfortable 4-1 triumph at Dijon.

Nine days on from Mbappe limping off in the 3-2 victory over Toulouse, and amid considerable speculation linking him with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, the 18-year-old was named as a substitute for this contest by boss Leonardo Jardim.

And he remained unused as fellow forward Falcao took centre stage at the Stade Gaston Gerard.

The Colombian opened the scoring in the third minute, producing a close-range finish after Kamil Glik headed goalwards.

Falcao found the back of the net three times for Monaco.
Falcao found the back of the net three times for Monaco.
PHILIPPE DESMAZES/AFP/Getty Images

The visitors' advantage was subsequently doubled 22 minutes later by a wonderful Jemerson overhead kick, before Falcao added his second in the 37th minute via a curling effort from the edge of the box that may or may not have taken a slight deflection off Cedric Yambere.

Dijon pulled a goal back a minute prior to the break when Wesley Said controlled a long ball over the top and prodded neatly through Danijel Subasic's legs.

Falcao then wrapped up his treble with a powerful header six minutes after the break.