Sinayoko scores twice and sets up Pagis as Paris FC beat Monaco 3-1 to reach fourth

Paris FC striker Lassine Sinayoko scored twice in six minutes and set up the third goal as his side beat Monaco 3-1 at Stade Jean-Bouin on Sunday. The Mali forward now has eight league goals, the most in Ligue 1, and Paris FC are fourth with 17 points after nine games, level with Lyon.

Two goals in six minutes

Paris FC, beaten 2-1 at Lens a week earlier, started the stronger side. Paris FC's Pierre Lees-Melou hit the post early on, and Monaco defender Sadibou Sané deflected a cross from Paris FC's Moses Simon onto the crossbar, before Sinayoko made the difference. Monaco goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky stopped an earlier effort from Sinayoko in the 28th minute but could do nothing in the 38th, when Sinayoko finished a move that ended with a pass from team-mate Maxime Lopez. Six minutes later Simon sent him through, and Sinayoko outpaced Monaco centre-back Eric Dier and drove the ball past Hradecky.

At half-time Monaco coach Filipe Luís switched to a back three and brought on Folarin Balogun for Paris Brunner. Balogun pulled one back in the 65th minute from a pass by team-mate Vanderson, his first goal of the season, but nine minutes later Sinayoko ran in behind the defence, reached the box and laid the ball off for his team-mate Pablo Pagis to tap in. Paris FC had 19 shots, 10 of them on target, to Monaco's nine, two on target, and Hradecky made seven saves.

Luís took the blame. "Paris FC were simply better than us today," the Monaco coach said, adding that Monaco were not very good with the ball and found neither the right zones nor the right combinations. "When that happens, it is because the coach's game plan did not work, so I take full responsibility tonight."

What it changes

Paris FC, sixth before kick-off, climbed to fourth. They are one point behind Lille (18) and three behind leaders PSG (20), and trail Lyon, who beat Angers 2-0, only on goal difference (+6 to +8). Rennes dropped to fifth on 16 points, while Monaco, seventh on 15, are winless in four league games.

Sinayoko, who joined from Auxerre this summer, also has five assists: 13 direct goal involvements in nine games. According to Stats Foot, quoted by Foot en France, he is the first African player to reach eight goals after nine Ligue 1 matchdays since Liberia's George Weah, who had ten at the same stage of 1991-92. Rennes' Esteban Lepaul is second on seven. The afternoon was also a tribute to Pierre Ferracci, who has led Paris FC since 2012 and, according to the club, becomes honorary president as Antoine Arnault takes over the presidency.

Next

Paris FC visit Auxerre, Sinayoko's former club, on Saturday 7 November. Auxerre lost 5-1 at Strasbourg on Sunday and have conceded 23 goals, the most in the league.