An unsinkable AS Monaco beat Lille to tighthen their grip on second!
A victory to go second! Patient before making the difference in the second half, the Rouge et Blanc won against Lille at the Stade Louis-II (1-0), under the eyes of H.S.H. Prince Albert II and President Dmitry Rybolovlev, on the occasion of the club’s 2400th match in the top flight. Match report✍️
The context 📅
For this second big match in what is a decisive week for the Rouge et Blanc, after an important win in Brest (0-2), it was LOSC which landed at the Stade Louis-II. It’s a ground which has offered very little success for Les Dogues recently (11 games without a win), even if the Northern side is in great form, and remained just three points behind the Monegasques in the standings.
The eleven 👥
In the absence of the suspended Wilfried Singo, coach Adi Hütter opted to set his side up in a 4-4-2. Thilo Kehrer returned to central defence, while Krépin Diatta started on the left in a four-man defense. On the bench on Sunday, Wissam Ben Yedder started up front alongside Folarin Balogun.
The scenario 🎞
This big match started with a first chance for Lille on a solo run by Gudmundsson, whose attempt was captured by Radoslaw Majecki (3′). The Monégasque goalkeeper was again vigilant on a deflected cross by the Iceland internationalHaraldsson, which he was forced to punch clear (15′). AS Monaco first responded with a powerful strike from Takumi Minamino which flirted with the bar (20′), then it was Denis Zakaria who tried his effort from range (22′).
Plenty of chances, but no goals
The target was missed again, as on a header by Youssouf Fofana at a corner (27′). Before that, Folarin Balogun had tried to pick out his captain with a ball in behind, but without success (23′). Control of the game and the chances were now coming for our Rouge et Blanc, who were nevertheless struggling to find the breakthrough. And LOSC took the opportunity to attack on the counter, like on a run by Haraldsson, who eventually missed the target (42′).
The goalkeepers (and the post) take over
The halftime break thus came with the match still scoreless. But upon the start of the second half, the Northern side showed themselves to be dangerous again with a header from Gudmundsson which hit the post (47′), then a curling effort by Angel Gomes (48′). The target was also getting closer for Adi Hütter’s men, notably on a volley by Maghnes Akliouche cleared off his line by Lucas Chevalier (55′).
𝗠𝗶-𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘀 ⏸️
Au terme de 45 premières minutes disputées, les deux équipes sont dos-à-dos !
Rendez-vous après la pause 👊
0️⃣-0️⃣ #ASMLOSC pic.twitter.com/JTWN6YIOdD
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) April 24, 2024
The breakthrough comes… thanks to Youss’!
But it was finally at the end of a crazy run that Youssouf Fofana found the opening, scoring with a low shot into the bottom corner (1-0, 61′)! It was cause for celebration in the Stade Louis-II which exulted over the third goal scored by our number 19 this season in Ligue 1. The Rouge et Blanc are even close to a second in a one-on-one between Ben Yedder and Chevalier which was won by the Lille goalkeeper (69′).
A win to go second for the team’s 2400th match in Ligue 1
Then there was a shot from a tight angle attempted by Zak’ (74′). In the meantime, Breel Embolo was celebrating his return to the pitch at home, cheered on by a fanbase happy to see him on the pitch again. It was a winning comeback, since the Monegasques would hold on until the end, despite a last chance by Cabella (81′). Vanderson even tried his luck from range (87′), before the referee blew for full time.
Face au LOSC, l'AS Monaco dispute son 2⃣4⃣0⃣0⃣e match en @Ligue1UberEats ❤️🤍
‣ #ASMLOSC pic.twitter.com/qs1AGboZQj
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) April 24, 2024
It was game over, AS Monaco won against LOSC in its 2400th match in the top fligth (1-0), and moved a little closer to qualifying for the Champions League, now with five points in hand and in second in Ligue 1. DAGHE MUNEGU! 🇲🇨
Key moments 🎥
3′: Gudmundsson’s shot is finally stopped by Majecki
15′: A deflected cross by Haraldsson is punched clear by Majecki
20′: A powerful shot by Minamino grazes Chevalier’s crossbar
22′: A long shot by Zakaria is captured by Chevalier
23′: Balogun picks out for Ben Yedder who comes up short against the Lille goalkeeper
27′: A header by Fofana at a corner flies just over the bar
42′: Haraldsson makes a deep run, but his effort goes wide of the post
47′: Gudmundsson’s header hits the right post
48′: Gomes’ curling shot from a corner is captured by Majecki
55′: Akliouche’s volley is saved by Chevalier
61′: Fofana’s well-struck effort finds the corner (1-0)
69′: A one-on-one between Ben Yedder and Chevalier comes to nothing
74′: Zakaria’s shot from a tight angle is blocked by Chevalier
81′: Cabella’s effort flies over the bar
87′: A long shot by Vanderson is saved
📋 Match details:
Wednesday April 24 – Stade Louis-II
Ligue 1 – Matchday 29: AS Monaco 1-0 Lille
Halftime: 0-0
Goals: Fofana (61′) for AS Monaco
Bookings: Akliouche (38′) for AS Monaco; David (54′), Bouaddi (66′) for Lille
AS Monaco: Majecki – Vanderson, Maripán, Kehrer, Diatta – Akliouche (Coulibaly, 87′), Fofana, Zakaria, Minamino – Balogun (Embolo, 68′), Ben Yedder © (Camara, 83′)
Substitutes: Köhn, C.Henrique, Ouattara, Salisu, Camara, Coulibaly, Diop, Magassa, Embolo
Manager: Adi Hütter
Lille: Chevalier – Tiago Santos, Yoro, Diakité, Ismaily – André (Bouaddi, 57′), Bentaleb – Gudmundsson (Yazici, 66′), Gomes, Haraldsson (Zhegrova, 66′) – David (Cabella, 66′)
Substitutes: Jakubech, Mannone, Alexsandro, Cabella, Cavaleiro, Morais, Bouaddi, Burlet, Yazici, Zhegrova
Manager: Paulo Fonseca
