Ajaccio hold PSG as Monaco march on
Sunday, August 18, 2013
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AS Monaco FC are on six points after an Emmanuel Rivière-inspired 4-1 defeat of Montpellier Hérault SC while Paris Saint-Germain FC needed a late Edinson Cavani equaliser to hold AC Ajaccio.
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AS Monaco FC continued their flying return to Ligue 1, while champions Paris Saint-Germain FC came unstuck for the second week running.
Monaco lived up to their heavyweight billing last Saturday with a 2-0 victory at FC Girondins de Bordeaux and the scorers that day, Emmanuel Rivière and Falcao, starred again at home to Montpellier Hérault SC. Falcao opened the scoring on 18 minutes from the penalty spot and although Victor Montaño levelled, Rivière – given his chance with signings João Moutinho and James Rodríguez injured – struck either side of the interval.
The 23-year-old foward headed another late on to make it 4-1 with the first hat-trick of his career. That ensured Monaco joined Olympique Lyonnais, Olympique de Marseille and AS Saint-Étienne on six points.
PSG were held 1-1 at Montpellier last week and drew again at home to AC Ajaccio. Benoît Pedretti's superb curling finish on nine minutes almost proved enough for Ajaccio's first win under Fabrizio Ravanelli. However, Edinson Cavani opened his PSG account with four minutes left and Thiago Silva nearly won it when he struck a post. In Sunday’s other game, FC Lorient beat FC Nantes 2-1.
