PARIS -- Monaco recovered from a heavy league loss with a 2-0 win over Bastia to strengthen its second place in the French league on Tuesday.
The Principality side did not impress but played solid football throughout to provisionally increase its lead over third-place Angers to five points.
Monaco, which slumped to a 3-0 loss at Angers over the weekend, opened through an own goal from Francois-Joseph Modesto in the 35th minute and doubled its lead when Bernardo Silva beat keeper Jean-Louis Leca with a deflected shot.
Newly-signed Brazilian striker Vagner Lover was given his first start, getting involved in two good moves but lacking a cutting edge.
Runaway leader Paris Saint-Germain, which has a 21-point lead over Monaco, hosts Lorient on Wednesday.
