PARIS — Monaco had Radamel Falcao to thank once again as the Colombia striker came off the bench to score the winner with a superb free kick in a 2-1 home victory against Dijon on Saturday.
Falcao scored an opportunistic winner in a 1-0 defeat of Angers last weekend, and this goal was equally important as it kept Monaco three points clear of Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the French league.
Nabil Dirar scored the first goal midway through the second half, having also set up Falcao's winner against Angers.
With teenage star Kylian Mbappe enduring a tough evening and Monaco struggling to find space in the first half, 19th-placed Dijon took the lead with a goal from Cedric Varrault shortly before halftime.
Monaco pushed hard after the interval but failed to break Dijon's solid defence from open play. Falcao first came to the rescue in the 69th minute when the striker hit a free kick from 25 metres (yards) that hit the bar, bounced on 'keeper Baptiste Reynet and stopped just in front of the goal line. Dirar rushed toward the ball and hammered it into the back of the net to level.
Falcao, who played 31 minutes, sealed Monaco's win in the 81st with a sumptuous 20-meter curled strike into the top right corner that left Reynet stranded.
It was Falcao's 26th goal of a season that has confirmed his return to the highest level and his 18th in 24 league games. Six of those games have been as a substitute since he has occasionally struggled for full fitness.
Falcao warmed up perfectly for the visit of Borussia Dortmund in the return leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday, with Monaco leading 3-2 from the away leg in Germany
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NICE 3, NANCY 1
With five games left to play, Nice is guaranteed a top-three finish in the French league for the first time in more than 40 years.
Chasing its first league crown since 1959, the southern side beat struggling Nancy to ensure its first podium slot since it was runner-up behind Saint-Etienne in 1976.
The only team still unbeaten at home, apart from defending champion Paris Saint-Germain, Nice was caught cold against the run of the play after 26 minutes. It recovered with goals from Mickael Le Bihan and Jean-Michael Seri, who scored a brace.
The win kept Nice within four points of leader Monaco, which has one game in hand.
Yoan Cardinale made a reflex save in the 25th minute to deny a direct free kick from Loic Puyo which surprised everyone else in the box, but the Nice 'keeper was powerless in the next minute after midfielder Valentin Eysseric failed to clear a corner from the left. That allowed Issiar Dia to recover the ball in the area and serve up an assist for Maurice Dale, who scored from six yards (meters).
The goal triggered an all-out assault on the Nancy goal and the hosts managed to level 10 minutes later. After receiving the ball in front of the area, Younes Belhanda almost lost it but managed to deliver a perfect through ball for Le Bihan, who beat 'keeper Guy Roland Ndy Assembe for his third goal this season with a precise shot to the bottom corner.
In the absence of injured striker Alassane Plea and with Mario Balotelli suspended, Le Bihan was given his first start of the season and proved to be a worthy addition to the team, with two other good chances in the second half. Le Bihan scored a brace in February after coming off the bench in a 2-1 win against Montpellier on his return from a 17-month injury layoff.
Eysseric almost doubled his team's lead immediately after the interval when he dribbled on the left side of the box and forced Ndy Assembe into a fine save. Issiar Dia then committed a clumsy foul on Dalbert Henrique in the box and Seri coolly converted from the spot with a shot right in the centre of the goal in the 50th minute.
Seri doubled his tally with five minutes left from Eysseric's clever assist in the back of the defence.
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MONTPELLIER 2, LORIENT 0
Montpellier made a big step forward in the fight against relegation with goals from Ryad Boudebouz and Isaac Mbenza.
After posting its first home win since February, the 2012 French champions moved to 12th place, eight points above the danger zone.
It was Boudebouz's 11th goal this season, his best ever tally in the league.
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OTHER RESULTS
Also Saturday, Guingamp beat Toulouse 2-1; Metz and Caen drew 2-2; and Rennes defeated Lille 2-0.
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AP Sports writer Jerome Pugmire contributed to this report.
By Samuel Petrequin, The Associated Press
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