Ben Yedder helps Monaco maintain UCL bid

Captain scores 21st goal of season to power club to 2-0 win over Angers in French Ligue 1

PARIS:

Captain Wissam Ben Yedder continued his impressive scoring form as Monaco beat Angers 2-0 in Ligue 1 on Sunday to boost their chances of reaching the Champions League qualifying rounds next season.

Ben Yedder, 31, scored his 21st league goal of the campaign just after the hour mark to reach a career-best goals tally after Abdoul Kader Bamba scored an own goal just before the break.

The Principality outfit trail third-placed Rennes on goal difference after the Bretons beat lowly Saint-Etienne 2-0 on Saturday with three matches remaining.

"This team have not reached their limit, there were errors and they have potential to grow, everyone put their hand up," Monaco coach Philippe Clement told reporters.

"When you get to an objective you should look to go further. Now Wissam wants the 22nd, 23rd."

Les Verts, who won the last of their 10 French titles in 1981, remain in the relegation play-off spot after their fourth defeat in six games.

Elsewhere, Metz missed the chance to move off the bottom of the table despite leading 2-0 with 20 minutes to play at Montpellier.

Arnaud Souquet and Elye Wahi scored for the hosts late on to deny the northerners the win as they conceded during injury time for a second time in three games.

"It's frustrating, it reflects our season. I don't know how we gave in, it's not good," Metz's Louis Mafouta told Prime Video Sport.

"Unfortunately, we were short again today, it's going to be hard to stay up."

Lille's chances of returning to European competition were dealt a blow as they ended their 3-0 loss to Troyes with only nine men. Renato Sanches was sent off five minutes into the second half with Burak Yilmaz following him in the 68th.

Florian Tardieu converted two penalties either side of Ike Ugbo's spot-kick for Troyes who are owned by the same group as Manchester City.

Struggling Bordeaux lost 1-0 to Nice, whose British owner Jim Ratcliffe made a £4.25 billion ($5.3 billion) offer to buy English giants Chelsea on Friday.

Algeria forward Andy Delort netted for the southerners leaving the six-time French champions in 19th, four points adrift of Saint-Etienne and in serious danger for dropping to the second flight for the first time in 30 years.

"Their goal was a gift, we put them in good situations," Bordeaux boss David Guion said.

"We won't give up. We've fought for many weeks and put things in order, but it hasn't been enough because we're not winning and we can't pick up points," he added.

Later, second-placed Marseille can go within four points of claiming a place in the Champions League group stage if they beat historic rivals Lyon at the Velodrome.

On Friday, Kylian Mbappe, who remains the subject of transfer speculation away from the capital this summer, scored twice as champions Paris Saint-Germain drew 3-3 at Strasbourg.