Thanks to Wissam Ben Yedder's hat trick in Rodez, AS Monaco are heading to the Round of 16!

This time, they avoided the trap! A year after being knocked out in the opening round of the 2023 edition, AS Monaco’s players were patient in this Round of 32, finally coming to life in the second half against Rodez at the Stade Paul Lignon  (1- 3). Thanks to a hat-trick from Wissam Ben Yedder, the Principality club will continue its adventure in the Coupe de France. ✍️

The context 📅

After a hard-fought match in the Round of 64 that saw them go through against Lens on penalties (2-2, 6-5 on penalties), our Rouge et Blanc approached a this second round with determination… and a spirit of revenge! Because it was almost a year ago to the day, that Rodez beat our Monégasques in a penalty shootout at the Stade Louis-II. So we had to be wary of this team, currently seventh in Ligue 2, who have only lost once this season on home soil.

The eleven 👥

Disappointed by a loss in the league against Stade de Reims (1-3), coach Adi Hütter made several changes to his starting lineup. Heroic at the Stade-Bollaert, Radeck Majecki logically started in goal, while Denis Zakaria moved back into central defense, where Chrislain Matsima also started, while the Balogun – Ben Yedder duo led the line.

The scenario 🎞

The first chances of the match occurred just in front of the Monegasque goal, in the Polish goalkeeper’s area. They would requires all of his vigilance of the latter to intervene on a header by Mambo (2nd) and to deny Tairyk Arconte (5′). But it was AS Monaco who opened the scoring, with a penalty won by Folarin Balogun and converted by… Wissam Ben Yedder (0-1, 10′)!

RAF offer an immediate response

It marked a tenth goal in his last 10 Coupe de France matches for the Rouge et Blanc captain, who has now scored 250 goals in his career. This was followed by Aleksandr Golovin nearly doubling the lead, before his effort was kept out by Sébastien Cibois (12′).

250 – Wissam Ben Yedder a inscrit le 250e but de sa carrière en club (71 pour Toulouse, 70 pour le FC Séville, 109 pour Monaco). Goleador. pic.twitter.com/iiwwICOmPz

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) January 20, 2024

But Rodez pushed for a response, and Arconte was denied again by Majecki who got down quickly (18′). Unfortunately he could do nothing about a free kick from Antoine Valerio which was headed in by Mambo, unmarked from close range (1-1, 21′). After a frantic start to the match, the pace dropped sharply, until a cross from Vanderson for Balogun, whose goal was refused for a (very) slight foul in the build-up (43′).

Captain’ Wiss sees triple!

The break came with the match thus tied. Adi Hütter took the opportunity to bring on Maghnes Akliouche. It was an attacking choice that paid off, since in the wake of Vandi’s curling effort that was off-target (49′), Wissam Ben Yedder would benefits from good work by Balogun to finish into and empty goal (1-2, 51′)! Our number 10 had his double, and then shortly thereafter a hat trick, on a very good cross from Kassoum Ouattara, who had already been decisive against Lens (1-3, 58′)!

Majecki keeps the lead

AS Monaco had broken the game open at the best possible moment and maintained its hold on the match, and even had an opportunity through Balogun on a no-look pass from Akliouche (73′). RAF tried to react by bringing on fresh players, and on a cross from Abdallah, Houtondji cuts inside, but without success (77′).

He then came up short against a very good Radoslaw Majecki, with a low strike (85′), and was then denied at the near post on yet another cross from his flank (87′). The Polish goalkeeper would then make one last big save to deny Cyril Depres (94′).

It wass all over, and our Rouge et Blanc had been worried for a few minutes at the end of the match, but qualifed for the round of 16 of the Coupe de France thanks to this win in Rodez (1-3). Daghe gars!🇲🇨

Key moments 🎥

2′: Mambo’s header is  just wide of the post
5′: Corredor’s header falls to Arconte, but Majecki intervenes
10′: Ben Yedder converts a penalty won by Balogun (0-1)
12′: Golovin’s strike is repelled by Cibois
18′: Arconte facess off  against Majecki but our ‘keeper gets down well
21′: Mambo heads home a free kick delivered by Valerio (1-1)
43′: A headed goal is denied to Balogun for a foul
49′: A curling strike from the left by Vanderson is off target
50′: Found with a long ball, Balogun stumbles but Ben Yedder finishes from close range (1-2)
58′: On a great cross from Ouattara, Wissam scores for his hat trick (1-3)
73′: A long shot from Vanderson is off-target
79′: A cross from Abdallah for Houtondji who misses at the near post
82′: Vanderson tries with his right again but is again off the mark
85′: Houtondji’s low shot is captured by Majecki
87′: Another cross from Abdallah for Houtondji is stopped by Majecki
94′: Depres’ half-volley is kept out by Majecki

The stat 📊

Wissam Ben Yedder scored his first career hat trick in the Coupe de France and also passed the 250 goal mark for his career. The Monaco captain has now scored 12 times in his last ten appearances in the competition.

📋 Match details:

Saturday, January 20 – Stade Paul Lignon

Coupe de France –  Round of 32: Rodez AF 1-3 AS Monaco 

Halftime: 1-1

Goals: Mambo (21′) for Rodez; Ben Yedder (10′ (pen), 50′, 58′) for AS Monaco

Bookings: Ben Yedder (11′), Kehrer (28′), Ouattara (69′) for AS Monaco

Rodez: Cibois – Boma, Raux-Yao, Mambo – Buades (Ngouyamsa, 63′), Taïb, Valerio (Houtondji, 69′), Younoussa (Rajot, 63′), Lipinski (Abdallah, 77′) – Arconte, Corredor ©️ (Depres, 77′)

Substitutes: Crombez, Abdallah, Ngouyamsa, Garie, Haag, Rajot, Depres, Houtondji, Verdier

Manager: Didier Santini

AS Monaco: Majecki – Matsima, Zakaria, Kehrer – Vanderson, Diop (Akliouche, 46′), Fofana, Ouattara (Cartillier, 91′) – Golovin (Coulibaly, 91′) – Balogun, Ben Yedder ©️

Substitutes: Köhn, Cartillier, Magassa, Maripán, Platret, Akliouche, Coulibaly, Efekele

Manager: Adi Hütter