Falcao double gets Monaco back on track

Radamel Falcao grabbed a brace as French champions Monaco bounced back from last week's thrashing by Nice with a 3-0 win over Strasbourg at the Stade Louis II on Saturday. The hosts started slowly, but took the lead on the stroke of half-time through Rony Lopes' first goal for the club. Falcao made the points safe early in the second period, before completing his double in the 67th minute.

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Radamel Falcao has scored more goals (9) than any other player in Europe's top 5 leagues this season. ? pic.twitter.com/Z0ZTNKyA0Y — BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) September 16, 2017

"Falcao is a great player, a great professional with an always positive attitude," Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim said. "A year and a half ago, 80 percent of people thought it was over (for him). Today he is at a high level." The three points move Monaco level on points with early Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain, who host Lyon on Sunday.

Leonardo Jardim: "I think that Falcao will score more than last year. I'm sure he will." pic.twitter.com/ufolQtAln1

— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) September 17, 2017

Monaco were looking to respond after seeing their record 16-match winning run in the league ended by a 4-0 thumping at Nice last week. The principality outfit have actually had a better start to this season than 12 months ago, when they also lost 4-0 at Nice in September before going on to win the title. "It's true (we've had a better start), but it's difficult to compare with other seasons," Jardim added. Jardim gave Montenegrin forward Stevan Jovetic and winger Rachid Ghezzal their full debuts after close-season moves from Inter Milan and Lyon respectively, in the only two changes from the side that claimed a 1-1 draw at RB Leipzig in their Champions League opener on Wednesday. Saint-Etienne moved up to third as Jonathan Bamba's third goal of the season from the penalty spot saw them edge out lowly Dijon 1-0.

J6 - @DFCO_Officiel / @ASSEofficiel : Jonathan Bamba marque sur pénalty ⚽️. Son 3e but de la saison ? (0-1) ! #DFCOASSE pic.twitter.com/My1ltCEMcx

— Ligue 1 Conforama (@Ligue1Conforama) September 16, 2017

Nantes continued their good form under Claudio Ranieri, as they beat Caen 1-0 to make it four games unbeaten without conceding a goal. It hasn't all been plain sailing for new coaches though, as Marcelo Bielsa's Lille saw their winless streak extended to five games by Etienne Didot's injury-time goal in a 1-0 loss at Guingamp. On Friday, Brazilian Malcolm's third goal of the campaign helped Bordeaux stay unbeaten with a 1-0 victory at Toulouse. RESULTS Monaco 3 (Lopes 44, Falcao 51, 67) Strasbourg 0 Dijon 0 Saint-Etienne 1 (Bamba 49-pen) Guingamp 1 (Didot 90+3) Lille 0 Nantes 1 (Girotto 73) Caen 0 Troyes 0 Montpellier 1 (Mendes 32)