Russia midfielder Aleksandr Golovin on Tuesday scored twice and set up a third goal as AS Monaco moved out of the Ligue 1 relegation zone with a 3-1 win over Patrick Vieira’s OGC Nice.
Golovin’s double came either side of Patrick Burner’s equalizer before he fed Wissam Ben Yedder to claim Leonardo Jardim’s first three points of the campaign, lifting some of the pressure from the Portuguese coach.
“Unfortunately, the season does not start tonight, but the team played a great game. There is no doubt,” said Jardim, who returned to the club only months after being dismissed last season following Thierry Henry’s ill-fated spell in charge. “Our physical condition is getting better every match.”
Golovin opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark as captain Cesc Fabregas marked the first victory of the season with his maiden assist for Monaco.
Former Chelsea and Barcelona playmaker Fabregas, who joined the Ligue 1 side in January, found Golovin inside the box and the attacker smashed his finish high into the top corner.
The hosts were denied a quick second four minutes later, as Islam Slimani’s effort was ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee.
Vieira’s side were back on level terms eight minutes into the second period. Monaco made a mess of clearing a short corner and rightback Burner scored his first senior goal.
Golovin’s second came with a quarter-hour to play as Slimani played a square ball for the 23-year-old to finish smoothly.
He then teed up summer signing Ben Yedder who made sure of all three points, beating Walter Benitez with ease and securing Jardim’s first win since May.
Earlier, Andre Villas-Boas’ Olympique de Marseille struggled to a 0-0 draw at winless Dijon FCO, but moved to third in the table due to Nice’s third loss of the campaign.
Villas-Boas was without influential midfielder Dimitri Payet and centerback Boubacar Kamara due to suspensions from red cards received in last weekend’s tie at home to Montpellier Herault.
Dijon’s only previous point of the campaign was against Nimes Olympique earlier in the month, and defeats at the Stade Gaston Gerard to AS Saint-Etienne and Girondins de Bordeaux leave them bottom of the table.
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