PARIS (AP) Monaco moved up to second place in the French league after winning 2-0 at Lorient on Sunday, with both goals coming in an improved second-half performance.
Promising midfielder Thomas Lemar put Monaco ahead with a shot that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar in the 54th minute, and Portugal midfielder Joao Moutinho curled in an excellent free-kick four minutes later.
Lorient played better in the first half but striker Benjamin Jeannot failed to muster a shot on target.
Monaco is two points ahead of third-place Angers but trails runaway league leader Paris Saint-Germain by a massive 21 points. PSG won 1-0 at Toulouse on Saturday thanks to a late header from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Later Sunday, Marseille travels to play Caen and Saint-Etienne hosts bitter local rival Lyon.
