Ben Yedder scores 2, Monaco wins to strengthen grip on 3rd

<p>PARIS &mdash; Striker Wissam Ben Yedder came off the bench to score twice as Monaco beat last-place Dijon 3-0 to strengthen its grip on third place in the French league on Sunday.</p>
<p>In the late game, fourth-place Lyon has to beat visiting Angers to stay one point behind Monaco in the chase for third and a slot in the Champions League qualifying rounds.</p>
<p>While coach Niko Kovac’s consistent Monaco has lost once in the past 20 games overall, Dijon endured a 13th straight defeat and looks doomed to relegation.</p>
<p>Following a dour first half, Kovac brought on Ben Yedder and he was soon tripped for a penalty in the 48th minute. Ben Yedder’s spot kick was saved but forward Stevan Jovetic followed up to finish from close range.</p>
<p>Ben Yedder netted in the 62nd when Dijon failed to clear the ball properly and Aleksandr Golovin sent him through on goal. He then added a late penalty to make it 3-0 and reach 17 league goals. Only Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe has more with 21.</p>
<p>OTHER MATCHES</p>
<p>Fifth-place Lens had five players out with coronavirus for the home game against Lorient, but still won 4-1.</p>
<p>Time is running out for Nantes, which won the last of its eight league titles 20 years ago but is languishing in 19th after losing 1-0 at Rennes. </p>
<p>Winger Martin Terrier netted early in the second half for seventh-place Rennes with a superb curling shot into the top right corner from the left of the penalty area.</p>
<p>With six games left, Rennes is one point behind sixth-place Marseille but still four points behind Lens in the chase for fifth and a Europa League spot.</p>
<p>Saint-Etienne is closer to midtable after beating Bordeaux 4-1.</p>
<p>Playing against his former club, Saint-Etienne winger Wahbi Khazri scored a hat trick after South Korea striker Hwang Ui-jo gave Bordeaux an early lead from the penalty spot. Saint-Etienne travels to PSG next weekend.</p>
<p>Also Sunday, it was: Brest 1, Nimes 1; and Nice 0, Reims 0.</p>
<p>
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/keylor-navas-lille-adrien-thomasson-moise-kean-pablo-sarabia-b750389cc9c4be179debf5a5b2cd48e9">PSG won 4-1 at Strasbourg</a> on Saturday.</p>
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