Monaco, Lyon win to stay in Ligue 1 title hunt
Monaco defeated basement side Dijon 3-0 on Monday (AEST) to keep its title hopes alive, as fellow contender Lyon beat Angers at home.
Lyon snapped a three-game winless league run as captain Memphis Depay scored two goals in a 3-0 victory over Angers.
Lyon, who will meet Monaco in the quarter-finals of the French Cup later this month, took the lead on 21 minutes as Depay lashed in a rebound after Lucas Paqueta hit the post from close range.
Paqueta added a second late in the first half when he slotted in Karl Toko Ekambi's cross.
The Brazilian set up Depay to net Lyon's third just before the end, the Dutchman scooping the ball over Angers goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni from the edge of the box.
"We had to get back to winning ways in the league and to cling to the podium. It was the match I was hoping for and we delivered," said Lyon coach Rudi Garcia.
Lyon is fourth and five points back of Lille. The two teams meet at Groupama Stadium on 26 April, a week before Lyon visits Monaco.
"We have to focus on ourselves and playing last shouldn't put us under pressure. Whether we play before or after the others, in the end you have to win. We need to go into the clashes against Lille and Monaco having taken maximum points."
Meanwhile, Monaco reignited its title hopes with a 3-0 win over Dijon.
Stevan Jovetic swept in the rebound after Wissam Ben Yedder's penalty was saved by Dijon goalkeeper Saturnin Allagbe early in the second half.
Ben Yedder atoned for his missed spot-kick on 62 minutes, clipping in Monaco's second after Aleksandr Golovin intercepted a loose pass and slipped the ball through for the France striker.
Monaco lost Cesc Fabregas to injury in the closing stages, the Spanish midfielder clutching his hamstring as he was replaced having only come on as a half-time substitute.
Ben Yedder made no mistake with a second penalty in the final minute, notching twice for the second game in succession to take his tally for the season to 17 goals.
Niko Kovac's side has hauled itself back into contention following a run of 13 wins in 16 matches since the start of the calendar year.
It trails leader Lille by four points with six games remaining, with defending champion Paris Saint-Germain one point above Monaco.
"We don't have our destiny in our hands to go looking for the title because we don't play Paris or Lille at the end of the season. But we want to stay in the race," said Kovac.
"I'm sorry to be boring, but when we're in a position to attack I will say so."
Dijon matched the worst run ever in France's top flight after losing its 12th match in a row and are all but certain to be relegated to Ligue 2.
-AFP
