Monaco beats Metz 4-0 to pressure French league title rivals

<p>PARIS &mdash; Monaco swept aside Metz 4-0 to pressure its French league title rivals ahead of their games later on Saturday.</p>
<p>League leader Paris Saint-Germain was hosting second-place Lille with the sides separated by goal difference and Lyon needed victory at fifth-place Lens to reclaim third spot from Monaco.</p>
<p>Monaco, which has now lost only once in 16 league games, struck a double blow early in the second half.</p>
<p>Former Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas scored a penalty in the 49th minute after forward Stevan Jovetic was fouled, and striker Kevin Volland finished confidently two minutes later from Belgian midfielder Eliot Matazo’s pass.</p>
<p>Striker Wissam Ben Yedder was surprisingly left on the bench but came on to notch a fine third when he cut inside a defender and thumped the ball under the crossbar in the 76th. </p>
<p>Ben Yedder was fouled by central defender John Boye and took the penalty to make it 4-0 in the 88th.</p>
<p>In a tight first half, Monaco struggled to break down a well-organized Metz side. Volland came closest when he headed against the post from Aleksandr Golovin’s cross in the 33rd.</p>
<p>Metz almost scored near the end of the half, but Monaco goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte made a fine low save to keep out forward Lamine Gueye’s shot.</p>
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