Monaco have consolidated their position in second place in Ligue 1 with a comfortable 3-1 win away to Strasbourg.

Stephane Bahoken cancelled out Stevan Jovetic's early opener for the visitors, but first-half strikes from Rony Lopes and Fabinho put Leonardo Jardim's side almost out of sight by half time.

The hosts were quickest off the starting blocks and almost took an early lead when Dimitri Lienard gained possession in the box and tested Danijel Subasic with a low strike the keeper struggled to hold onto.

The opening stages of the match played out at a blistering pace and the deadlock was broken within five minutes as Jovetic's header from Djibril Sidibe's cross got away from Alexandre Oukidja and nestled into the bottom corner.

End-to-end action continued uninterrupted and Strasbourg were level in the 19th minute when Bahoken won the ball in the penalty are and shot straight into the bottom corner to make it one apiece.

The parity lasted just two minutes as Monaco went back on the attack straight from the restart eventually working the ball into the path of Lopes into the peanlty area, who curled one into the bottom corner.

Strasbourg's best chance to draw level went begging in the 33rd minute when Bahoken's cross picked out Jeremy Blayac's run into the penalty area, only from his teammate to blaze the ball over the bar unchallenged.

Martin Terrier tried his luck in the 38th minute, latched into Blayac's headed pass and shooting just wide of Subasic's upright.

Jardim's men gave their hosts a mountain to climb minutes before half time when Keita Balde's cross was rifled home by Fabinho to give Monaco a healthy lead ahead of the interval.

Both sides showed attacking intent in the second period, and Monaco almost extended their advantage in the 57th minute as Jovetic's header from Thomas Lemar's free kick came back off the post.

Blayac was the home sides most dangerous player throughout and he almost reduced the deficit in the 64th minute when he headed Bahoken cross towards goal, forcing Subasic into another save.

Lopes missed an opportunity to kill the game off into the 68th minute, latching onto Jovetic through-ball to go one-on-one with Oukidja, only to lose his bottle and miss the target completely.

Monaco defended tightly in the closing stages and absorbed everything their opponents threw at them, but a last-ditch header from Strasbourg's Bakary Kone almost netted them a consolation deep in stoppage time, but the defender's header was narrowly off target.

The win leaves Monaco seven points ahead of Marseille in the race for the Ligue 1 runners-up spot, while Strasbourg are just three points above the dropzone in 15th.

STRASBOURG (4-3-3): Oukidja, Martinez, Kone, Seka, Lala, Aholou, Lienard, Martin (Grimm 65'), Blayac, Terrier (Corgnet 45'), Corgnet, Bahoken

MONACO (4-2-3-1): Subasic, Jemerson, Glik, Raggi, Sidibe (Toure 64'), Lemar, Fabinho, Moutinho, Jovetic, Lopes, Balde (Tielemans 79')