Falcao swoops as Monaco leave it late at Bordeaux

Colombian striker Radamel Falcao helped pay back some of his record 60-million euro transfer as he struck a late goal in Monaco's 2-0 win over Bordeaux in their French top-flight opener on Saturday. After Emmanuel Riviere scrambled home an 82nd minute goal, Falcao showed all his predatory instincts as he pounced on a loose ball in the box to slide the ball home with just two minutes remaining. "The two goals were important, but it's too early to talk about anything else," said Monaco coach Claudio Ranieri. "I was curious to see my team against Bordeaux who are a good side with big, strong players and who are very compact on the counter-attack." Despite the win, Monaco only clinched a single point after they were deducted two following crowd trouble last season. There were also opening day victories for Lyon, Rennes, Valenciennes and Lille while champions Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 1-1 draw at Montpeller on the opening day of the season on Friday. At the Stade Gerland, seven-time champions Lyon coasted to a 4-0 win over hapless Nice after taking a 13th-minute lead when Alexandre Lacazette won a battle in the box before banging home from what replays appeared to indicate an offside position. Clement Grenier then doubled the lead for Remi Garde's men nine minutes inside the second half after good work from former French player of the year Yoann Gourcuff as the team got the ideal preparation to face Real Sociedad in the final round of Champions League qualifying in the first leg on August 20. Lacazette added a second and guaranteed top spot albeit on goal difference with his second of the match with 22 minutes remaining before Gourcuff put a gloss on the scoreline with a late fourth. Nantes got off to a flying start on their return to the top flight for the first time since 2009 when Serbian international Filip Dordevic slipped the ball past Bastia 'keeper Mickael Landreau who began his fine career with Nantes at 17. Valenciennes took the lead at home to Toulouse in controversial fashion when the referee awarded a soft penalty after contact between Steeve Yago on Gregory Pujol, but inexplicably sent off Serbian defender Uros Spajic who had little to do with the action. Regardless, Maor Melikson converted the penalty on 37 minutes. Jose Saez made the points safe on 52 minutes when he crashed home a low shot after a close range header came back off the crossbar following a corner and Pujol tucked away the third in the dying seconds. The 2011 champions Lille held on for a hard earned 1-0 win over Britanny side Lorient while neighbors Rennes enjoyed better luck as they rode an 84th minute winner from Mevlut Erding to sink Reims 2-1. Elsewhere, French Cup finalists Evian and Sochaux battled to a 1-1 draw, On Friday, PSG dropped points as they began their defence of the title with a 1-1 draw at ten-man Montpellier. It was the hosts who scored the opening goal of the new season, a rasping drive from Remy Cabella after just ten minutes. The capital side finally managed to get back on terms on the hour mark through Brazilian Maxwell. Source: AFP