AS Monaco battle to a draw against Inter Milan
Unbeaten! On the occasion of their fifth pre-season friendly match, the players of AS Monaco brought back a very good draw from Ferrara against Inter Milan (2-2). The Rouge et Blanc even led by two goals before being pegged back in the second half. To start this fifth preseason match, Philippe Clement decided to innovate by playing a 3-4-1-2 formation to try to hinder Simone Inzaghi’s 3-5-2.
Captain Wiss and the Tsar are on fire!
It was thus a Disasi-Maripán-Badiashile defence which started the match, with Aleksandr Golovin positioned as playmaker. Caio Henrique saw a shot come off the post of Samir Handanovic (4′), before Aleksandr Golovin opened the scoring. Taking advantage of a high recovery and a good ball from Wissam Ben Yedder, the Russian attacking midfielder finished from close range (0-1, 7′). What a start to the match for the Rouge et Blanc!
🍿 @WissBenYedder ➡️ Golovin
‣ 0-1 #InterASMpic.twitter.com/mASDpk5mZm
— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) July 16, 2022
Inter Milan tried to respond through Lautaro Martinez (10′). But it was the Monegasques who had control over this first period. After an assist on the first goal, captain Wiss’ scored the 2-0 on a lovely chipped ball, his specialty (0-2, 30′)! His second goal in preseason, it came after the one scored last Saturday against Portimonense (2-0 win).
🧊🥶 @WissBenYedder 🧊🥶
‣ 1-2 #InterASMpic.twitter.com/9PVmmELoNG
— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) July 16, 2022
With experience and adjustment, Inter Milan pick up the pace
But Romelu Lukaku’s teammates would react at a corner won by the Belgian striker. Roberto Gagliardini followed the shot well and finished from close range, despite a fine save from Alex Nübel on a header from D’Ambrosio (1-2, 42′). The first half would ends on that score. Upon returning from the locker room, Philippe Clement made many changes to his lineup. Seven new faces came on: Félix Lemarechal, Maghnes Akliouche, Gelson Martins, Soungoutou Magassa, Jean Lucas, Chrislain Matsima and Takumi Minamino would all make an appearance.
The Japanese international thus celebrated his first match wearing La Diagonale and did not take long to show himself as being at ease in a role of false number 9 on a first attempt (47′). But Inter Milan, now with more experience on the pitch, took advantage of a strong chance to equalize thanks to the Albanian Kristjan Asslani (2-2, 59′). It was too bad, as on the first Italian goal, Alexander “The Wall” Nübel had made a superb diving save to keep out a strike by Romelu Lukaku.
🇯🇵 @takumina0116’s first match with @AS_Monaco_EN ❤️🤍
‣ 2-2 #InterASM pic.twitter.com/pLS6bo5RwF
— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) July 16, 2022
A debut for Minamino, the Academy shows its strength
The moment came for the two technicians to make new rotations, just before a big battle in the midfield ahead of the cooling break. The Rouge et Blanc nevertheless gave themselves a huge opportunity in the last quarter of an hour. Well found in the box, Maghnes Akliouche played a perfect sequence to turn and shoot (78′). But André Onana, who was smart to his effort, denied the shot. Gelson Martins got to the rebound but came up short against the former Ajax man, and it was the same for Ismail Jakobs, who couldn’t finish, either.
Jean Lucas then saw his free kick deflected for a corner by the Italian wall (86′). This was to be the last Monegasque attack, before a final attempt by Nerazzuri on a corner (91′). The score remained level and AS Monaco had a fine 2-2 draw of its opposition against the 2021 Serie A champion, after leading 2-0. The next preseason match for the Principality club comes next Saturday, with another fine match against FC Porto at the Estádio do Dragão (9 p.m. French time).
Full-Time 🇲🇨
‣ 2-2 #InterASM pic.twitter.com/BdOtScW9MI
— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) July 16, 2022
Match details:
Friendlu
Inter Milan 2-2 AS Monaco
Half-time: 1-2
Goals: Gagliardini (42′) and Asslani (59′) for Inter Milan; Golovin (7′) and Ben Yedder (30′) for AS Monaco
AS Monaco: Nübel – Maripán (Matsima, 42′), Disasi (Aguilar, 61′), Badiashile (Marcelin, 61′) – Vanderson (Gelson Martins, 46′), Matazo (Jean Lucas, 46′), Fofana (Magassa, 46′), C.Henrique (Jakobs, 61′) – Golovin (Akliouche, 46′) – Volland (Lemarechal, 46′), Ben Yedder © (Minamino, 46′)
Substitutes: Didillon, Liénard, Aguilar, Jakobs, Marcelin, Matsima, Akliouche, E.Diop, Gelson Martins, Jean Lucas, Lemarechal, Magassa, Minamino, Pelé
Manager: Philippe Clement
Inter Milan: Handanovic – Darmian, D’Ambrosio (De Vrij, 60′), Di Marco (Bastoni, 60′) – Bellanova (Dumfries, 60′), Gagliardini (Barella, 60′), Asslani (Brozovic, 60′), Mkhitaryan (Çalhanoglu, 60′), Gosens – Lukaku (Dzeko, 60′), Lautaro Martínez (Correa, 60′)
Substitutes: Cordaz, Onana, Dumfries, De Vrij, Dzeko, Correa, Lazaro, Çalhanoglu, Barella, Agoumé, Fontanarosa, Brozovic, Bastoni
Manager: Simone Inzaghi
