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AS Monaco reach Coupe de la Ligue finals with defeat of Nancy

Radamel Falcao celebrates after scoring Monaco's only goal in a Coupe de la Ligue win against Nancy. VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images

PARIS -- Monaco scraped into the Coupe de la Ligue final on Wednesday, beating Nancy 1-0 after top scorer Radamel Falcao was gifted a goal in first-half stoppage time.

Nancy goalkeeper Guy Roland Ndy Assembe rushed out to claim a ball in the penalty area, but mistimed his jump and it bounced over his head, with Falcao reacting sharply to head home his 18th goal of the season.

Monaco will face Paris Saint-Germain in the final in Lyon on April 1. The two sides also meet in Paris in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

Although free-scoring Monaco have scored 91 goals in 35 games overall this season, this was one of their more disjointed performances.

They struggled to break down a well-organized Nancy side and did not threaten until late in the first half.

Falcao went just wide with a diving header for the home side, while winger Kylian M'Bappe and midfielder Thomas Lemar had shots that drew good saves.

After striker Valere Germain went close to making it 2-0, Nancy fluffed a great chance to equalise when midfielder Antony Robic blazed over in the 80th minute.

PSG eased past Bordeaux 4-1 away on Tuesday, with winger Angel Di Maria and striker Edinson Cavani scoring two each.