Ben Yedder keeps Monaco in Champions League hunt with Angers win

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

Ben Yedder, 31, claimed his 21st league goal of the campaign in the final half an hour 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 rounds remaining.

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 in the final 11 minutes to deny the northerners the three points.

Lille’s chances of returning to European competition were dealt a blow as they lost 3-0 to Troyes as Florian Tardieu converted two penalties either side of Ike Ugbo’s spot kick for the outfit owned by the same group as Manchester City.

Later, 19th-placed Bordeaux, host Nice, whose British owner Jim Ratcliffe made a £4.25 billion ($5.3 billion) offer to buy Chelsea on Friday.

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

On Friday, Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain drew 3-3 at Strasbourg as doubts about the World Cup winner’s future in the French capital persist ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.