JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN/AFP via Getty Images
United States men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun scored twice from the bench as AS Monaco eased to a 5-2 win at Metz, with three goals in the first 16 minutes effectively ending Saturday’s match as a contest.
The win sent Monaco up to second place in the Ligue 1 standings with 49 points from 27 games, 10 points adrift of Paris St Germain, who visit Marseille on Sunday. Brest, who are two points behind the principality side, can reclaim second spot when they play at Lorient on Sunday.
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It took four minutes for Takumi Minamino to give Monaco the lead and Maghnes Akliouche doubled the score six minutes later.
Vanderson got Monaco’s third inside the box from a cross.
After 76 minutes Metz’s evening got worse as goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja tried to back-heel a pass out of danger, inadvertently striking the foot of Balogun and sending the ball into the net for the visitors’ fourth.
Metz made a last-ditch comeback attempt thanks to late goals from Pape Diallo and Ibou Sane but Balogun wrapped up the win with his second goal three minutes from time.
The ex-Arsenal forward becomes the first USMNT player to score twice as a substitute in Europe’s top five leagues since Charlie Davies did so for Sochaux in August 2009.
Metz are second-bottom with 23 points from 27 games, two points behind Nantes, who occupy the relegation playoff spot and visit fifth-placed Nice on Sunday.