Monaco’s French forward Emmanuel Riviere celebrates after scoring a goal during the French L1 match against Montpellier at the Louis II Stadium in Monaco yesterday. (AFP)
Frenchman Emmanuel Riviere stole his Colombian teammate Radamel Falcao’s thunder yesterday as his hat-trick carried Monaco into joint top spot in Ligue 1 with a 4-1 thrashing of Montpellier. Claudio Ranieri’s expensively assembled side followed up their opening day’s 2-0 victory over Bordeaux to move up to six points alongside Lyon, Saint-Etienne and Marseille and second on goal difference. Nantes will join them later Sunday if they can overcome Brittany neighbours Lorient.
Champions Paris Saint-Germain are also in action later Sunday with their home curtain raiser against Fabrizio Ravanelli’s Ajaccio side at the Parc des Princes. “At the moment, it’s perfect, two matches, six points,” said Ranieri, whose side trail Lyon by one goal.
“I’m satisfied, it’s important to win but also to play well and I’m happy about that. As for Riviere, well he trains every day with character and professionalism and he’s in good shape physically and mentally,” added the Italian, who also dismissed reports of Falcao making a swift return to Spain and joining Real Madrid. “They are just rumours, always rumours and just to make up stories. Falcao is staying here, he’s happy and his daughter was born here,” he continued in reference to the recent birth of the Colombian’s newborn daughter during the week. The 27-year-old also said there was no truth in the rumours.
“Everything is false even the numbers being talked about are false. I believe in the project at Monaco and I’m staying at Monaco.”
On a glorious afternoon on the Cote d’Azur, the home side took the lead on 18 minutes when Argentine Lucas Ocampos took off on a weaving run before being hacked down in the box by Siaka Tiene, leaving the referee little option but to point to the spot. Falcao stepped up and sent Montpellier goalkeeper Laurent Pionnier the wrong way as he made it two goals from two matches since his reported 60 million euro ($80 million) transfer from Atletico Madrid.
The lead lasted just six minutes when a second Colombian, this time Victor Hugo Montano, got the better of defenders Ricardo Carvalho and Eric Abidal before powering home a header from a fine cross from Benjamin Stambouli on the right wing. The 2004 Champions League finalists then went back in front in controversial fashion on the stroke of half-time when Riviere clearly tugged Montpellier defender Daniel Congre on his way into the box before chipping the ball over the on rushing Pionnier and into the empty cage.
Riviere then gave Ranieri’s men a cushion 12 minutes after the break when he kneed the ball home following a corner from Yannick Ferreira Carrasco.
The 2012 champions were always facing a long afternoon as Congre lost his cool on 63 minutes and was shown a straight red card for hauling down Ferreira-Carrasco just outside the box before Riviere completed his hat-trick with nine minutes left.