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Ligue 1

May 3, 2015 at 4pm UK

Monaco Monaco
4-1
Toulouse

Silva (9'), Martial (45' pen.), Moutinho (56'), Germain (92')

FT(HT: 2-1)

Braithwaite (26')

AS Monaco close in on Champions League qualification

By Shane Callaghan, Reporter | 03 May 2015

Monaco move five points clear of Marseille in the race for Champions League qualification by beating Toulouse 4-1 in the Principality.

AS Monaco have re-established their five-point lead over Marseille in the race to secure the final Champions League spot in Ligue 1 by beating Toulouse 4-1 at Stade Louis II.

Monaco's French forward Anthony Martial celebrates after scoring a penalty during the French L1 football match between Monaco and Toulouse on May 3, 2015 © Getty Images

Goals from Bernardo Silva, Anthony Martial, Joao Moutinho and Valere Germain did the damage as the Principality club keep Marseille at arm's length with three games to play.

Only two minutes had elapsed before Leonardo Jardim's side made inroads towards returning to the competition that saw them emphatically enhance their reputation this season.

Monaco, who eliminated Arsenal in the last-16 stage, almost went ahead through Geoffrey Kondogbia, whose effort looked to be sailing into the top corner, but Ali Ahamada managed to make the save.

Ahamada was powerless on the 10-minute mark, though, as Silva latched on to Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco's ball before watching his deflected effort leave the Toulouse stopper with no chance.

The visitors toiled in the final third before restoring parity on 26 minutes, as Oscar Trejo played in Martin Braithwaite and the Dane made no mistake.

Braithwaite was proving a menace as Toulouse finished the half on top, and lightning almost struck twice, but the Denmark international's 25-yard strike glided painfully wide.

Just when it seemed like both sides would share the spoils at half time, Martial slotted a penalty in the dying embers of the half after Trejo conceded the spot kick.

The hosts could have perhaps been forgiven for dreaming about returning among Europe's elite 11 minutes after the break when Moutinho met Andrea Raggi's cross to plant a header past Ahamada.

Wissam Ben Yedder saw his 25-yard bullet whistle past the post shortly after the hour mark, but it was as close as the visitors came to reducing the deficit.

With just two yellow cards dished out, a relatively friendly encounter turned ugly on 80 minutes when both sides were reduced to 10 men, with Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik and Nabil Dirar being dismissed after a scuffle.

There was still time for Germain to add gloss to the scoreline, however, latching on to Moutinho's ball to fire home a fourth.