Match ends, Metz 0, Monaco 1.
MetzMetz0MonacoMonaco1
Reigning champions Monaco became the first team to win 15 successive matches in France's Ligue 1 after Radamel Falcao earned the club a narrow victory at Metz without Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe, 18, was left out of the squad amid transfer speculation linking him with a move to rivals Paris St-Germain.
Falcao struck a 78th-minute winner after latching onto Rachid Ghezzal's chip over the home defence.
After finishing last season with 12 successive wins, Monaco have started this campaign by beating Toulouse, Dijon and now Metz.
Colombia striker Falcao's winner saw Monaco pass Bordeaux's tally of 14 wins in a row in 2009.
Mbappe, who has also been linked to Real Madrid and Manchester City, was left out of the squad by manager Leonardo Jardim, who said he was "protecting" the player.
The France forward burst on to the scene last season, scoring 26 goals in all competitions during his first full season as Monaco won the French title for the first time in 17 years and reached the Champions League semi-finals.
Line-ups
Metz
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Didillon
- 28RivierezBooked at 64mins
- 3Diagne
- 21Niakhate
- 32Assou-Ekotto
- 26Ribeiro Dias
- 5PobleteBooked at 21mins
- 8JouffreSubstituted forHeinat 78'minutes
- 24Cohade
- 13JallowSubstituted forUdolat 72'minutes
- 9RouxSubstituted forNianeat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Hein
- 12Udol
- 14Niane
- 16Kawashima
- 19Mollet
- 23Philipps
- 25Balliu
Monaco
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Subasic
- 19Sidibe
- 25Glik
- 5Jemerson
- 6de Oliveira MoraesBooked at 37mins
- 20Rony LopesSubstituted forCarrilloat 45'minutes
- 8João Moutinho
- 2Fabinho
- 27Lemar
- 15DiakhabySubstituted forGhezzalat 66'minutes
- 9FalcaoSubstituted forTielemansat 90'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Kongolo
- 7Ghezzal
- 11Carrillo
- 16Benaglio
- 17Tielemans
- 18Meité
- 34Sylla
- Referee:
- Francois Letexier
- Attendance:
- 18,136
Match Stats
Home TeamMetzAway TeamMonaco
- Possession
- Home43%
- Away57%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away22
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away5
- Corners
- Home6
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home17
- Away16
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Metz 0, Monaco 1.
Post update
Attempt missed. Gauthier Hein (Metz) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Cafú.
Post update
Foul by Fabinho (Monaco).
Post update
Renaud Cohade (Metz) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. João Moutinho (Monaco) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Thomas Lemar.
Substitution
Substitution, Monaco. Youri Tielemans replaces Falcao.
Post update
Falcao (Monaco) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Moussa Niakhate (Metz).
Post update
Attempt saved. Ibrahima Niane (Metz) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Gerónimo Poblete with a through ball.
Post update
Attempt missed. Djibril Sidibe (Monaco) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Rachid Ghezzal.
Post update
Thomas Lemar (Monaco) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Renaud Cohade (Metz).
Post update
Attempt missed. Falcao (Monaco) right footed shot from the right side of the box is too high.
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Attempt blocked. Rachid Ghezzal (Monaco) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Djibril Sidibe.
Post update
Foul by Falcao (Monaco).
Post update
Jonathan Rivierez (Metz) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Metz. Gauthier Hein replaces Yann Jouffre.
Goal!
Goal! Metz 0, Monaco 1. Falcao (Monaco) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Rachid Ghezzal with a through ball.
Post update
Attempt saved. Ibrahima Niane (Metz) header from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Yann Jouffre with a cross.
