France round-up: Monaco into Champions League

AS Monaco FC claimed second position in Ligue 1 and a place in the group stages of next season's UEFA Champions League with an emphatic 6-0 defeat of bottom side ES Troyes Aube Champagne on the final day of the French league season.

Fast start
Needing a victory to overtake Olympique de Marseille, the home side began in positive fashion and were 3-0 up by the 20-minute mark. Croatian striker Dado Prso opened the scoring in the fourth minute, before strike partner Shabani Nonda doubled the advantage eight minutes later and Prso scored his second of the game.

Three late goals
Monaco relaxed and failed to extend their lead until nine minutes from time as midfield player Jérôme Rothen made it 4-0, and Nonda was then twice on target in the final two minutes to complete his hat-trick.

Marseille miss out
Marseille travelled to FC Nantes Atlantique knowing that victory would guarantee second place, but they were unable to find a way through a well-organised Nantes defence.

Late drama
The away side's hopes were damaged by the 74th-minute dismissal of Pascal Johansen, and Olivier Quint then scored the only goal of the game ten minutes later, deflecting Grégory Pujol's shot into the net. Nantes held on despite the dismissal of Pascal Delhommeau for a foul on Daniel van Buyten two minutes from time. Marseille will play in the qualifying round for the Champions League.

Lyon champions
Olympique Lyonnais were confirmed as champions despite a 4-1 home defeat at the hands of En Avant Guingamp. Lyon kicked off knowing they were champions barring an unlikely series of results, and goals from Didier Drogba and two Florent Malouda strikes put the away side in control. Although Sidney Govou pulled a goal back midway through the second half, Drogba's second two minutes later confirmed a deserved win for Guingamp.

Bordeaux into Europe
FC Girondins de Bordeaux claimed a palce in the UEFA Cup as two Pauleta goals earned a 2-0 win at home to Lille OSC, while FC Sochaux-Montbéliard finished fifth and will also play in Europe after efforts from Benoït Pedretti and Santos either side of Henri Camara's penalty equaliser sealed a 2-1 win against CS Sedan-Ardennes, who were relegated following the defeat.

Le Havre demoted
Sedan and Troyes were joined in Ligue 2 by Le Havre AC, who were demoted despite a 2-1 win at home to OGC Nice. Anthony Le Tallec's strike put Le Havre in front and, though Kaba Diawara's equalised, Florent Sinama-Po's goal in the final minute earned three points. However, the result was rendered irrelevant by AC Ajaccio's goalless draw against RC Strasbourg which gave the home side 39 points, one more than Le Havre.

Significant victory
Elsewhere, two first-half Olivier Kapo goals gave AJ Auxerre a morale-boosting 2-0 win against Paris Saint-Germain FC, who they meet in next week's Coupe de France final. Antoine Sibierski and Dagui Bakari were on target as RC Lens defeated SC Bastia 2-0 and two Olivier Monterrubio goals helped Stade Rennias FC win 3-1 against Montpellier Hérault SC.