[monks data]

Ligue 1

Jan 26, 2014 at 8pm UK

Monaco Monaco
2-0
Marseille

Germain (41'), Riviere (57')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Monaco close gap on Paris Saint-Germain with win over Marseille

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 26 January 2014

Monaco close the gap on Paris Saint-Germain at the top of Ligue 1 with a comfortable 2-0 win over Marseille.

Monaco have closed the gap on Paris Saint-Germain at the top of Ligue 1 with a comfortable 2-0 win over Marseille.

The hosts almost took the lead after just three minutes when Emmanuel Riviere beat the offside trap and forced Steve Mandanda into a fine save.

Monaco's French forward Emmanuel Riviere (L) vies for the ball with Marseille's Brazilian defender Lucas Mendes (R) during the French L1 football match on January 26, 2014 © Getty Images

Andrea Raggi was the next to come close, working space to shoot from the edge of the box only for Mandanda to make another smart stop to deny the Italian.

Monaco broke the deadlock with just four minutes to go until half time when Valere Germain beat Souleymane Diawara before slotting the ball past the keeper with a cool finish.

Monaco's French forward Valere Germain celebrates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match Monaco (ASM) vs Marseille (OM) on January 26, 2014 © Getty Images

It was 2-0 10 minutes after the restart as some good build-up play from the hosts on the right resulted in Geoffrey Kondogbia swinging a good ball in that Riviere fired home.

That was how it stayed for the remainder of the contest as Monaco reduced the gap at the top to just three points.