Monaco beats Toulouse and is five points behind Ligue 1 leader PSG

PARIS — Monaco got back to winning ways ahead of its trip to Arsenal in the Champions League after beating Toulouse 2-0 on Saturday and move within five points of the Ligue 1 lead.

The result was a welcomed boost for the Principality side, which lost its two previous games across all competitions.

Goals from Wilfried Singo and Breel Embolo sealed Monaco’s ninth win in 14 French league matches. They have a three-point lead over third-place Marseille, which travels to Saint-Etienne on Sunday.

Monaco coach Adi Hütter kept his usual system but made some changes, with 18-year-old striker George Ilenikhana up front and Maghnes Akliouche, Takumi Minamino and Aleksandr Golovin behind him.

The coach also needed to find a last-minute replacement for captain Denis Zakaria, who was ruled out because of pain in his thigh. A first start of the season was handed to midfielder Eliot Matazo.

Monaco enjoyed most of the possession in the first half and had the best chances. Ilenikhana hit the right post and struck the crossbar.

Singo broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half from a set-piece. The Ivory Coast defender connected with Lamine Camara’s free kick with a decisive header. Embolo made it 2-0 with eight minutes left from another header.

Toulouse was in 10th place, 16 points off PSG’s pace.

Monaco was without U.S. striker Folarin Balogun, who last week took another hit on his recently dislocated shoulder, putting him in doubt for next week’s match against his former club Arsenal.