AS Monaco win their first league match, with a goal from the returning Diatta!
This Saturday our Monegasques were in action at La Meinau to mark the first matchday of the Ligue 1 season between RC Strasbourg and AS Monaco. On this occasion, our Rouge et Blanc won a dramatic encounter, 2-1. It was a convincing result allowing us to feel plenty of confidence three days before team’s trip to take on PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
A fine start for theMonegasques
From kick-off of the match, our players put their foot on the ball, stifling RC Strasbourg thanks to an effective high press. Sofiane Diop, in fine form this Saturday, tried his luck twice in the first ten minutes (1′, 8′), before Jean Lucas did the same from distance (12′).
Playing in a 4-2-3-1, Philippe Clement’s men dominated the match, preventing the Alsatian wingbacks from making a mark in the match. Over the half-hour mark, the hosts got back into the match, but Ruben Aguilar denied Ludovic Ajorque (18′), before Alexander Nübel denied Dimitri Liénard (21′), containing Strasbourg’s efforts.
Partout Toujours 🇲🇨
‣ 0-0 #RCSAASM pic.twitter.com/s4f1Ncav7s
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) August 6, 2022
A decisive return for Krépin Diatta!
After weathering the storm, our Rouge et Blanc were getting forward again through the team’s attacking quartet of Diop Martins Embolo and Diatta, but Matz Sels would continue to keep a clean sheet for the moment (35′, 37′).
But less than ten minutes later the Belgian international could do absolutely nothing against Krépin Diatta. Found by Axel Disasi with a header following a corner by Sofiane Diop, our number 27 fired a sublime volley from the edge of the box to open the scoring (0-1, 43′). At half-time, our Monegasques had the lead!
A thrilling end to the game
At the start of the second half, Krépin Diatta, lively this afternoon, put Matz Sels to work (48′). The chances would multiply and Sofiane Diop, following a magnificent one-two with Gelson Martins, slotted into the empty goal (0-2 53′)! The break was made for AS Monaco and even a third was not far away, as Jean Lucas saw his attempt deflected by Matz Sels onto his post (61′).
But on one of their rare incursions into the Monegasque half in the second half, Strasbourg reduced the lead through Habib Diallo, who scored with a header from a cross by Thomas Delaine (1-2 65′).
😁 Happy kid @SofianeDiop !
‣ 0-2 #RCSAASM pic.twitter.com/gGvNWHkLjF
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) August 6, 2022
A brave win before heading to Eindhoven
Strasbourg then pushed but the Rouge et Blanc defence did not break (66′, 70′). Vanderson even missed an opportunity to seal the points, his shot skimming the post (79′). After a final effort in added time, Habib Diallo would see what would have been an equalizing goal disallowed for offside (90+3′).
It was Alex Nübel who then sealed the victory for the players from the Principality in Alsace by intervening in quick succession against first Thomasson and then Nyamsi (90+6′). Our players left La Meinau with all three points, a good omen before their trip to face PSV in Eindhoven next Tuesday!
Match details
Ligue 1 – Matchday 1
RC Strasbourg Alsace 1-2 AS Monaco
Halftime: 0 – 1
Goals: Diatta (44′) and Diop (53′) for Monaco; Diallo (65′) for Strasbourg
Bookings: Fofana (80′) and Diatta (83′) for Monaco
RC Strasbourg Alsace: Sels – Pierre-Gabriel (Delaine 46′), Perrin (Le Marchand 66′), Nyamsi, Djiku, Liénard © (Jean 82′) – Prcic, Bellegarde (Aholou 66′), Thomasson – Diallo, Ajorque (Gameiro 66′)
Substitutes: Risser, Delaine, Le Marchand, Doukouré, Senaya, Aholou, Diarra, Gameiro, Jean
Manager: Julien Stéphan
AS Monaco: Nübel – Aguilar, Disasi ©, Maripán, Jakobs – Fofana, Jean Lucas – Diatta (Matazo 87′), Diop (Akliouche 66′), Gelson Martins (Vanderson 73′) – Embolo
Substitutes: Didillon, Vanderson, Matsima, Magassa, Matazo, Akliouche, Lemarechal, Ben Seghir, Ben Yedder
Manager: Philippe Clement
