The Principality club can thank its midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, and its number eight in the back, who gave it victory with a superb double on two strikes outside the area (42nd, 75th).

The nice goal of Angel Gomes, which had allowed Losc to equalize, was ultimately in vain (69th).

The Monegasques did not perform well on the lawn of Lille brave and heckled by their public, but they provided the essentials by garnering a capital success in the race for the Champions League.

Philippe Clement's players have put pressure on their direct opponents, Marseille and Rennes, who respectively travel to Lorient on Sunday and Nantes on Wednesday.

To everyone's surprise, Monaco are indeed in second place with 65 points, the same total as OM, which they are ahead of on goal difference (+23 against +20).

The Bretons are relegated to three lengths.

Monegasque Guillermo Maripan (g) and Lille Zeki Celik compete for a header ball on May 6, 2022 in Villeneuve-d'Ascq DENIS CHARLET AFP

ASM is well placed to finish on the podium since it will be guaranteed to be there if it wins its last two matches, against Brest and Lens, since Rennes and Marseille will face each other on the 37th day.

For Losc, who have lost four of their last five games, the descent into hell continues.

The Northerners, who have only taken five points in eight matches since the last international break, are in a disappointing 10th place (51 points).

The meeting was disputed in a rather deleterious atmosphere with a strike of encouragement from the DVE, the main group of ultra supporters, who had displayed a banner "You are on vacation, we are too".

Losc striker Jonathan David (d), pushed in the back by Monegasque defender Guillermo Maripan, misses his shot, on May 6, 2022 in Villeneuve-d'Ascq DENIS CHARLET AFP

In addition, the names of most of the players and the coach were jeered when the team line-ups were announced, and some Lille supporters punctuated the successful Monegasque passes with "Olé".

Chouameni untenable

From the start of the match, the Mastiffs nevertheless tried to destabilize an uninspired Riviera team and benefited from a first clear chance, which Timothy Weah wasted by shooting at the goalkeeper (12th).

The Rock players struggled to be dangerous, except on a header from Tchouaméni (25th).

The midfielder unlocked the game by scoring with a nice shot in the semi-circle of the area (0-1, 42nd).

British Losc midfielder Angel Gomes (c) has just equalized against Monaco on May 6, 2022 in Villeneuve-d'Ascq DENIS CHARLET AFP

On returning from the locker room, Losc pushed to equalize, like this shot from Jonathan Bamba blocked (50th), while Monaco lacked sharpness and failed to exploit the boulevards left by the Northerners.

Quite logically, Lille equalized thanks to Gomes: after a service from Bamba, the Englishman infiltrated the area, eliminated two Monegasques, before unleashing a curled shot which lodged in the opposite skylight (1- 1, 69e).

The Mastiffs pushed to snatch a victory which would have calmed down their public, at least temporarily, but Tchouaméni, author of a huge performance, punished them by restoring the advantage to his people with a superb shot from 30 meters which entered with using the post (1-2, 75th).

© 2022 AFP