Irresisitible going forward, AS Monaco roll in Metz!
It was a veritable attacking festival! Very clinical in the first quarter of an hour with three goals scored in quick succession, the Rouge et Blanc won by a large margin against Metz at the Stade Saint-Symphorien (2-5). It was their eighth away victory, which allows the Principality club to temporarily climb into second place in Ligue 1. Recap ✍️
The context 📅
Already with 25 points picked up on the road, our Rouge et Blanc are in the second-best team in Ligue 1 away from home. This was set to be confirmed in Moselle for Adi Hütter’s men, who were on three victories in a row on the road. And this was against an FC Metz side fighting to maintain its position, but also the worst team in the top flight at home (9 points), but who had two wins in three matches in March.
The eleven 👥
To start this match, the Austrian technician, deprived of the suspended Denis Zakaria, decided to play an attacking eleven, using a 4-2-3-1 with Aleksandr Golovin playing alongside Youssouf Fofana in central midfield with the Akliouche-Minamino-Ben Seghir trio in support of Wissam Ben Yedder. Wilfried Singo played centrally, while Ismail Jakobs and the returning Vanderson played at fullback.
👥 Le 𝗫𝗜 𝗱𝗲 𝗱𝗲́𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 🆚 @FCMetz
‣ #FCMASM pic.twitter.com/gNGAINtmBW
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) March 30, 2024
The scenario 🎞
There was no time for sizing each other up for the two teams, since on a first good movement, Vanderson came up short against Alexandre Oukidja (3′). On the following corner, Captain’ Wiss found Eliesse Ben Seghir who played in Takumi Minamo perfectly behind the defence (0-1, 4′)! What a textbook play, for Taki’s third time opening the scoring this season, and his seventh goal in Ligue 1.
A second from Akliouche, and a third from Vandi!
But that wasn’t all, since on a quick counter, this time it was Maghnes Akliouche who doubled the lead (0-2, 10′)! The Rouge et Blanc kept things goins, with a 25th goal in the first period in the 2023-2024 season.
✊👀
0️⃣-2⃣ #FCMASM pic.twitter.com/tIvywMA8Dh
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) March 30, 2024
But it took all the vigilance of Radoslaw Majecki in a one-on-one with Mikautadze to maintain this lead. It would be extended further with a superb cross from Golo’ for a magnificent volley from Vanderson (0-3, 16′)!
A packed away end for an impressive performance
What a start to the match for the Monegasques, who had impressed in the first quarter of an hour, to the delight of the away end, filled by more than 500 supporters, for the tenth anniversary of Supp’Lorraine. Incidentally, Aleksandr Golovin registered his sixth assist this season. FC Metz were groggy, and struggled to appear dangerous, except through Fali Candé from 30 meters (31′).
Close to a decisive goal
It was even Wissam Ben Yedder who came close to making it 4-0 (34′), but he scuffed his effort, as did Ismail Jakobs (38′). The break came with this three goal lead. And despite a first attempt from Lamine Camara (47′), the second half was much of the same, with chances for Minamino (49′) and Golovin (50′).
MERCI #PartoutToujours ❤️🤍
53' 0️⃣-3⃣ #FCMASM pic.twitter.com/PF0YWj9REf
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) March 30, 2024
A winning effort from Balogun’s pressing
The game then logically dropped in intensity, as Les Grenats tried to attack from a corner (60′), or on the counter through Mikautadze (64′), without success. This was the moment chosen by coach Adi Hütter to make a triple change. It was a profitable choice, since Folarin Balogun had a good opportunity (70′), before increasing the lead thanks to some high pressing against Alexandre Oukidja (0-4, 76′)!
Balo’ sees double as AS Monaco keep going!
It was a sixth goal for the American in the top flight. Wissam Ben Yedder even came close to sealing the fate of this match (72′, 77′). But it was ultimately Metz who came back through their substitutes on two balls behind the defence, the first by Diallo (1-4, 79′) and then Ibou Sané (2-4, 83′). Fortunately AS Monaco regained the upper hand as Folarin Balogun – winner of the CONCACAF Nations League over the break – gave himself a double to put the match out of reach (87′, 2-5)!
𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗜𝗥𝗘 🥰🔚
Trois points de plus au compteur pour nos Monégasques 👊
𝗗𝗔𝗚𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗘𝗚𝗨 ❤️🤍
2⃣-5⃣ #FCMASM pic.twitter.com/TT4syYsd57
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) March 30, 2024
The Rouge et Blanc therefore impressed in Moselle and temporarily moved up to second place in the Ligue 1 rankings before facing Rennes next weekend. DAGHE MUNEGU! 🇲🇨
Key moments 🎥
3′: Akliouche cuts the ball back for Vanderson who comes up short against Oukidja
4′: Ben Yedder finds Ben Seghir who plays a ball in behind the defence for Minamino (0-1)
7′: Mikautadze’s overlap is stopped by Singo
10′: AS Monaco impresses on the counter as Akliouche finishes off a one-on-one (0-2)
13′: Mikautadze has a chance against Majecki who pushes the ball over
16′: Golovin’s cross finds Vanderson who scores with a volley (0-3)
31′: Candé gets forward and attempts a strike from 30 meters
32′: An off-target volley from Fofana from the edge of the area
34′: Jakobs plays in Ben Yedder who miscues his attempt
38′: A powerful strike from a tight angle by Jakobs
47′: A curling shot by Camara from 18 meters which Majecki captures
49′: Minamino’s shot is deflected by Candé into the side netting
50′: A cutback from Fofana for Golovin who comes up short against Oukidja
60′: Candé’s header from a corner is captured by Majecki
64′: A counterattack is led by Mikautadze who overhits his shot
70′: A powerful shot by Balogun is blocked
72′: A ball from Vanderson finds Ben Yedder who doesn’t get his effort on target
76′: High pressing from Balogun sees him take the ball off Oukidja and score (0-4)
77′: A cross from Jakobs to Ben Yedder who fires wide
79′: Diallo pulls a goal back for the hosts (1-4)
83′: A pass from Kouao for Ibou Sané who scores (2-4)
87′: Balogun has his double following a flick on from Kehrer on a corner (2-5)
The stat 📊
Folarin Balogun scored two goals off the bench for the first time in his league career. He is also the first player to achieve such a performance with AS Monaco in Ligue 1 since Breel Embolo did the same against Ajaccio on January 15, 2023 (2 goals).
📋 Match details:
Saturday, March 30 – Stade Saint-Symphorien
Ligue 1 – Matchday 27: FC Metz 2-5 AS Monaco
Halftime: 0-3
Goals: Diallo (79′) and I.Sané (83′) for Metz ; Minamino (4′), Akliouche (10′), Vanderson (16′) and Balogun (76′ and 87′) for AS Monaco
FC Metz: Oukidja – Kouao, Traoré, Candé, Udol © – Atta, Lô (I.Sané), Camara, – Van den Kerkhof (Jallow, 71′), Mikautadze (S.Sané, 82′), Asoro (Diallo, 24′)
Substitutes: Dietsch, Demouchy, S.Sané, Diallo, Mbaye, Nduquidi, Jallow, I.Sané, Tetteh
Manager: László Bölöni
AS Monaco : Majecki – Vanderson (Coulibaly, 90′), Singo, Kehrer, Jakobs – Fofana (Magassa, 65′), Golovin (Diop, 79′) – Akliouche, Minamino (Diatta, 65′), Ben Seghir (Balogun, 65′) – Ben Yedder ©
Substitutes: Köhn, Ouattara, Salisu, Vanderson, Coulibaly, Diatta, Diop, Magassa, Balogun, Embolo
Manager: Adi Hütter
