Lille up to second

Lille leapfrogged Monaco into second place in Ligue 1 after two goals by Nolan Roux secured their fourth consecutive victory.

Lille leapfrogged Monaco into second place in Ligue 1 after two goals by Nolan Roux secured their fourth consecutive victory. Roux struck first after 27 minutes when the ball went in off his knee before he rounded off an incisive counter-attack 18 minutes from time to shoot home. The 2-0 victory saw Rene Girard's side move to within two points of leaders and defending champions Paris St Germain. It was also their fifth win in six games - the other being a draw - and without conceding a single goal and it was Monaco's first defeat of the season. Claudio Ranieri's visitors produced the first attack of the game after five minutes when link-up play between James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho saw the latter unleash a powerful right-footed shot which forced Lille goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama to punch clear. Lille then took the lead with their first attack of note. Florent Balmont's corner from the right found Marko Basa who headed on to Roux and he in turn turned the ball in off his knee. Monaco sought to respond, Yannick Carrasco pouncing on Balmont's poor backpass which forced Enyeama to burst out of goal to punch the ball away only for Falcao to fire just over the bar. Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic then had to be alert to palm away Balmont's corner which had curled directly towards goal and was creeping in. Lille were then twice indebted to their keeper as the visitors desperately sought for an equaliser. Rodriguez's through ball found Emmanuel Riviere in front of goal with only Enyeama to beat but the goalkeeper deflected the ball away with his foot. Monaco tried again minutes later. Riviere found Radamel Falcao at the top of the area and he raced inside and fired from close range only for the goalkeeper to again deny them. Lille then doubled their lead a minute later following a fine counter-attack started by Salomon Kalou who went past Ricardo Carvalho, finding Rio Mavuba who in turn crossed to Roux at the far post where the striker fired home. The game was all but over when Monaco again found Enyeama impossible to pass. Rodriguez found Falcao in front of goal and his low volley was pushed away by the goalkeeper only for Riviere to pounce but somehow Enyeama denied his close-range shot.