Monaco go top, Lyon move into fourth as Ligue 1 reopens

Rejuvenated Colombian striker Radamel Falcao stroke again on Friday to help Monaco thrash bottom team Lorient 3-0 to go top of the Ligue 1 table.

The visitors, with the French top flight's most potent attack of 39 goals from 13 rounds, went ahead through Falcao on 64 minutes before Thomas Lemar and Gabriel Boschilia secure back-to-back league wins for the Principality club.

With leaders Nice not playing until Sunday evening, Leonardo Jardim's side, who travels to Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League on Tuesday, moved ahead on goal difference with 29 points.

Lorient, however, extended their miserable run, having picked up just one point in their last six league fixtures and remaining with just seven points from 13 games so far this season.

Thanks to Maxwel Cornet's third-minute goal, Lyon nipped a 1-0 victory at 10-man Lille later on Friday and moved into fourth with seven points off Monaco and Nice.

The French under-21 international scored his second goal of the season with a close-range angled shot.

Struggling Lille, who have now lost eight of the last 10 matches, has Younousse Sankhare sent off in the 55th minute but almost snatched a point when Ibrahim Amadou hit the crossbar late on.

Defending champions and now third-placed Paris Saint-Germain will host Nantes in Saturday afternoon, while Nice will not be in action until Sunday evening against St Etienne. Endit