Lens 0 - 3 Monaco: Monaco back to winning ways

Posted Monday, April 27, 2015 by PA

Yannick Carrasco's clinical 36th-minute opener paved the way for Monaco to retain third place in the Ligue 1 table with a 3-0 away win at doomed bottom club Lens.

Carrasco finished a powerful run by firing past home keeper Remy Riou to give his side the lead and strikes from Anthony Martial and Bernardo Silva sealed a convincing win.

It was a welcome return to winning ways for Monaco whose poor home draw with Rennes last weekend had left their push for a Champions League qualifying place in doubt.

But there was no let-up for Lens whose defeat left them 12 points off safety with four matches remaining and their immediate demotion straight back to Ligue 2 effectively assured.

Carrasco shot against the woodwork in the 20th minute as the visitors dominated before the same player beat Jerome Lemoigne en route to opening the scoring just past the half-hour mark.

Pablo Chavarria hit the woodwork for Lens as the visitors briefly showed some intent to level matters and extend their slim survival prospects into another week.

But the game was effectively over on the stroke of half-time when Martial drifted into space in a crowded box to double Monaco's advantage.

Leonardo Jardim's men wrapped up victory with 18 minutes remaining when Martial beat Ahmed Kantari on the left before crossing for Silva to convert Monaco's third.

And they could have had a fourth in injury time when Martial's header from Nabil Dirar's delivery was scrambled away by Loick Landre in the Lens defence.