Mbappe, Moutinho earn Monaco a five-point lead in Ligue 1

Teenager sensation Kylian Mbappe and Portuguese midfielder Joao Moutinho helped Monaco to keep five points clear on the Ligue 1 top position as they overcame Bordeaux 2-1 at home.

The 18-year-old Mbappe had his 10th league goal of the season in the 68th minute on Radamel Falcao's assist, before Moutinho doubled the lead six minutes later with a brilliant curling shot outside the box on Saturday, reports Xinhua news agency.

However, the French league leader, who tallied 123 goals in all competitions so far this season, still suffered a leak defence to hand Bordeaux striker Diego Rolan one goal back.

 

Moutinho then collected Bernardo Silva's pass and finished a superb shot 25 meters away into the top left corner of the goal before the visitors got one back as Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic failed in a one-on-one encounter against Rolan, and the latter put the ball into an empty net.

Monaco sat atop with a five-point lead over second-ranked Nice, who drew 2-2 with Caen on Friday. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain could cut Monaco's margin to three points with a Sunday's road victory over bottom side Lorient.

Elsewhere, Guingamp crushed Bastia 5-0, moving up from 11th to eighth. Montpellier lost to Nantes 3-2, Nancy lost to Lille 2-1, and Rennes tied Dijon at 1-1.

--IANS

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