Dado Prso, the hero in Monaco's emphatic 8-3 win over Deportivo Coruna in the Champions League, saved the Ligue 1 leaders with a late goal in a 1-0 win at lowly Ajaccio today.
The Croat, who scored four against Deportivo on Wednesday, shone less this time as Monaco were brought down to the harsh reality of Ligue 1.
But Ajaccio, who had defended bravely for 82 minutes, finally yielded after a gross defensive blunder which Prso perfectly exploited.
Looking a little tired against a team who discovered some of their current top players, including Sebastien Squillaci and Prso himself, Monaco took a six points lead at the top.
Second-placed Olympique Lyon and third-placed Olympique Marseille battle it out later on Sunday at Marseille's Velodrome stadium.
"It was not easy today against a team with 10 men in defence and on a pitch which did not make it easy to deploy our game," said Monaco coach Didier Deschamps.
Prso said: "What's important is to win, even by the narrowest margin."
Djibril Cisse scored twice as AJ Auxerre beat lowly En Avant Guingamp 3-0 to overtake Bulgaria's Vladimir Manchev as the leading scorer in Ligue 1 with nine goals.
Manchev had scored both Lille goals in their 2-2 draw at Stade Rennes on Saturday.
New Girondins Bordeaux coach Michel Pavon remained unbeaten in Ligue 1 since taking over two weeks ago as his men drew 1-1 at Racing Strasbourg.
Paris St Germain are in fourth on 23 points, seven off Monaco, thanks to their 1-0 win at Nantes on Saturday.