Monaco routs Lens to move 2 points clear atop the French league
Sat, Sep 2, 2023
Soccer News (AP)
PARIS (AP) - Monaco did not even need goals from its forwards to beat Lens 3-0 at home and move to the top of the French league on Saturday.
Wissam Ben Yedder failed to add to his league-leading four goals and Takumi Minamino stayed on three, and it hardly mattered.
Coach Adi Hutter's free-scoring side has 10 points from four games and was two points clear of second-placed Marseille, which drew at Nantes 1-1 on Friday.
Lens, which finished second last season to qualify for the Champions League, has picked up only one point and club-record signing Elye Wahi was kept quiet up front by Monaco's defense.
Two of Monaco's defenders scored, too, as it reached a healthy 13 goals from four matches.
Wilfried Songo headed in from Caio Henrique's corner in the 24th minute and, after midfielder Aleksandr Golovin turned in a pass from Minamino in the 36th, it was Guillermo Maripan's turn to head home another pinpoint Henrique corner in the 59th.
In the other match, Brest kept the visiting Rennes attack quiet as the Brittany derby finished 0-0. It was the third straight draw for Rennes, which recruited former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic during the transfer window.
Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain is at struggling Lyon on Sunday without new signing Randal Kolo Muani, who is nursing a sprained ankle.
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