Minamino shines and Monaco beats Strasbourg 3-0 to extend perfect start
PARIS (AP) — Takumi Minamino provided two goals and an assist as Monaco beat Strasbourg 3-0 in the French league on Sunday to extend its perfect start to the season with a second win in as many games.
Minamino put Monaco ahead in the 20th minute with a low drive from 25 yards (meters). The Japan winger doubled the lead in the 36th by nodding home a cross from Caio Henrique. Minamino then led a counterattack in the 58th to set up Wissam Ben Yedder for the third goal.
Play was briefly interrupted twice in the first half to remove from the field pigeons that were hit by the ball.
Minamino initially struggled to adapt to the French league with just one goal and three assists in 18 games last season.
“We have a new coach and a new style of play. That’s maybe why my performances are improving,” Minamino told the club’s website.
Monaco aims to finish in the top three after collapsing at the end of last season to miss out on European competition.
Elsewhere, last season’s runner-up Lens drew 1-1 with Rennes to have only one point after two games.
In a clash between two contenders for European spots, Lens stifled Rennes in the first half by pressing high up the field to win a corner that led to the opening goal. Colombia defender Deiver Machado pounced to fire a half-volley into the bottom corner in the third minute.
Angelo Fulgini missed an opportunity to double the lead on the stroke of halftime. The Lens forward beat goalkeeper Steve Mandanda to a bouncing ball only to flick it over the bar.
Rennes rallied with a penalty from Benjamin Bourigeaud in the 53rd after Salis Abdul Samed had fouled Arnaud Kalimuendo.
Lens announced the signing of Elye Wahi from Montpellier for a reported fee of 35 million euros ($38 million). The France under-21 forward is the replacement for Lois Openda who departed for Leipzig this summer. Wahi was presented to Lens supporters before the game.
Ten-man Lille earned its first win of the season by downing Nantes 2-0.
Jonathan David opened the scoring in the 66th by converting a rebound. The Canada striker also hit the bar with an effort from the edge of the box in the 43rd.
Lille was down to 10 men in the 78th when Alexsandro fouled Nantes substitute Kader Bamba, who was bearing down on goal.
But Adam Ounas sealed the win by curling a shot off the post in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
“It wasn’t easy but we held on,” Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier told the club’s website. “There were times when we would concede and fail to protect a result. Here, we managed to do it. It shows that maybe this season we could be able to take some important points.”
Brest beat promoted Le Havre 2-1 to extend its perfect start to the season. Brest center back Lilian Brassier scored the winner by heading home a corner in the 56th. Romain Del Castillo gave Brest the lead in the 28th before Le Havre midfielder Daler Kuzyaev leveled in the 52nd by opening his account in the French league.
Reims got its first win of the season by beating Clermont 2-0 with goals from Zimbabwe midfielder Marshall Munetsi in the 17th and Denmark international Mohamed Daramy in the 84th.
Lorient and Nice are still winless after two games as they split the points in a 1-1 draw. Nice took the lead with a flick from Evann Guessand in the 64th, but Lorient substitute Sirine Doucoure equalized in the 77th.
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