PARIS (AP) — France midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni scored twice as Monaco won at Lille 2-1 to notch an eighth straight win and move up to second place in the French league on Friday.
Monaco is level on points with Marseille but leads on goal difference ahead of Marseille’s game at Lorient on Sunday.
Second spot secures automatic qualification for next season’s Champions League, and there are two rounds remaining after this weekend.
Tchouaméni scored his first from just outside the penalty area in the 42nd minute, after being set up by Monaco’s 21-goal top scorer Wissam Ben Yedder and shooting past goalkeeper Léo Jardim.
English midfielder Angel Gomes equalized midway through the second half for 10th-placed Lille, last season’s champion.
Tchouaméni netted again with a long-distance strike from 25 meters in the 75th after Brazilian Caio Henrique teed him up.
Monaco has not looked back since dominating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 at home in March, and the mid-season hiring of coach Philippe Clement to replace Niko Kovac looks like paying off.
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