Football: Minamino opener helps Monaco secure Champions League berth
KYODO NEWS - 20 minutes ago - 13:29 | Sports, All
Japan attacker Takumi Minamino scored the opener for his sixth league goal of the season as Monaco secured Champions League qualification with a 2-0 home win over Lyon on Saturday in the French Ligue 1.
Minamino completed a 62nd-minute counter to break a deadlock at Stade Louis II as his left-footed shot from inside the box split the legs of a defender and found the bottom right corner.
Captain Denis Zakaria headed in a free-kick six minutes later to complete the scoring and Monaco ensured a top-three finish after moving four points clear of Nice with a game to go.
In the German Bundesliga, forward Shuto Machino set up the opener but Holstein Kiel were relegated as they lost 2-1 at home to Freiburg.
Machino, who has bagged 11 goals this term, drifted in from the left and played through Lasse Rosenboom to put Kiel in front in the 24th minute. But Johan Manzambi scrambled in just before the break and Lucas Holer's header turned the game around in the 58th minute.
Ritsu Doan starred for fourth-placed Freiburg as they moved a step closer to the Champions League qualification with a game remaining.
Midfielder Reo Hatate scored his 10th goal of the season in the Scottish Premiership as champions Celtic beat Hibernian 3-1 at home, netting in the 58th minute for the last goal of the game.
Veteran defender Shogo Taniguchi returned to action in Belgium as Sint-Truiden drew 2-2 at Kortrijk. The 33-year-old has been out since November after rupturing his Achilles tendon.
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