James Rodriguez has fired AS Monaco into a slender 1-0 half-time lead over Nantes at Stade Louis II in Ligue 1.

The Colombia international opened the scoring on 18 minutes, collecting a ball from teammate Dimitar Berbatov before firing beyond goalkeeper Maxime Dupe from outside the box.

The visitors should have drawn level on the half-hour mark through Itay Shechter, who fired straight at keeper Danijel Subasic from close range.

It was as close as Nantes would come to drawing level as Claudio Ranieri's side took the narrow advantage into the break.