More clinical than Montpellier, AS Monaco get back to winning ways!

This one feels good! Ahead on the scoreboard for a long stretch of the match, but hampered by a very sharp Montpellier team on the counter, the AS Monaco players had to wait until the last minute to double the lead, winnign for the sixth timet his season at the Stade Louis-II (2-0). The result meant three more points and a place on the Ligue 1 podium. ✍️

The context 📅

After sharing the points against Le Havre (0-0) and a loss at the Parc des Princes against PSG (5-2), our Rouge et Blanc needed to get back to winning ways to get back on the podium. This would have to be done, against a Montpellier team currently out of form and who drew against Clermont this week in a postponed match (1-1), and who had numerous injuries (Ferri, Nordin, Saint-Luce, Sylla). Our Monégasques would have to be wary all the same, because les Héraultais had won at the Stade Louis-II by an impressive score last season (4-0).

The eleven 👥

To start this match, coach Adi Hütter decides to change the system by moving to a four-man defense, in a 4-2-3-1 pattern. It was a resolutely offensive choice, notably with the Minamino-Akliouche-Golovin trio in support of Folarin Balogun, who had scored against Paris and who led the line. It was Guillermo Maripán who wore the captain’s armband for the occasion.

The scenario 🎞

At kick-off, the match took time to get going. But on the first real Monegasque attack from the left, Vanderson got on to the the ball, turned had his shot denied by Benjamin Lecomte. However, the ‘keeper spilled the ball back into play and Takumi Minamino finished from close range (1-0, 9′)! Ever the opportunist the Japanese playmakerl scored his fifth goal in Ligue 1 this season. The Rouge et Blanc were quickly ahead but had to be wary on the counter.

Super Taki, force 5!

First there was a loss of the ball in midfield, exploited by Moussa Al-Tamari, following which Philipp Köhn had to be vigilant (15′). In the wake of this there was a three-on-one orchestrated by Les Héraultais, where it took a last-minute block from Guillermo Maripán to prevent an equaliser (16′). Adi Hütter’s men tried to get back on track, in particular on a ball from Vanderson to Aleksandr Golovin, whose curling effort was kept out by Lecomte (24′).

Montpellier are dangerous in transition

Shortly thereafter, Folarin Balogun had an off-target effort (27′). It then took all the effort of Mohamed Camara to stop another run from Akor Adams with a furious tackle (30′). Then a heroic Memo Maripán would keep out the Nigerian’s attempt on an empty goal after a another three-on-one (33′). A shot from Wahbi Khazri, from range, did not worry Philipp Köhn (34′), though, unlike Maghnes Akliouche’s strike on a pass from Golo’, which came close to finding the visitors’ goal (35′).

🇨🇭 🤝 🇨🇮

30' | 1⃣-0⃣ #ASMMHSC pic.twitter.com/UJu5K3eXPI

— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) December 3, 2023

The breakthrough is slow to come

AS Monaco regained control, and Balogun was even found with a long ball to make it 2-0 with… but he was flagged offside at the start (41st). Half-time came with this one-goal advantage. Upon returning from the locker room, the 22 players once again took time to make the match come to life. But on a new run forward, Ismail Jakobs unleashed a sharp shot from a tight angle, which Lecomte kept out (50′).

Golovin finds the woodwork

The Monegasques seemed to lack a little accuracy in their finishing, as Balogun (52′ and 56′) and then Minamino (53′) failed to score the third goal. It was then just a few centimeters which prevented Aleksandr Golovin from scoring, as his quickfire shot caromed off the post (60′). The match then took another turn, when Kiki Kouyaté was sent off (69′) before Benjamin Lecomte made a big save on a powerful strike by Ismail Jakobs, who was very involved on the left flank (72′).

Carton rouge pour Kouyate après une grosse faute sur Taki 🟥

69' | 1⃣-0⃣ #ASMMHSC pic.twitter.com/IDmkRX9a9X

— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) December 3, 2023

A second goal that’s long overdue

The clock was ticking, but the Rouge et Blanc had to dig deep, and it took an offside from Al-Tamari to avoid a Montpellier penalty (78′). Another goal was close to coming at both ends, and Denis Zakaria soon lost a one-on-one against Lecomte (80′). There was no more success against him for Wissam Ben Yedder (84′), nor for Maripán with a header (85′). It was then even Al-Tamari who was close to finding the goal before Wilfried Singo kept his effort out (86′).

But AS Monaco did not break, and after Téji Savanier lost the ball inside his area, the captain of the Rouge et Blanc scored from close range to double the lead (2-0, 92′)! It was his sixth goal this season in Ligue 1, and his 100th home goal in the league. The match was over, and our Monégasques were back to winning ways as they moved onto the podium. DAGHE MUNEGU! 🇲🇨

𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗜𝗥𝗘 👊🔝

L'AS Monaco renoue avec le succès et s'impose face à Montpellier !

𝗗𝗔𝗚𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗘𝗚𝗨 ❤️🤍

2⃣-0⃣ #ASMMHSC pic.twitter.com/QfNsWP9N5F

— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) December 3, 2023

Key moments 🎥

9′: Vanderson’s strike is deflected to Minamino who finishes from close range (1-0)
15′: Monaco lose the ball and Al-Tamari takes advantage but Köhn intervenes
16′: Montpellier’s counter-attack stopped at the last minute by Maripán
24′: A ball from Vanderson plays in Golovin who hits a curling shot, but Lecomte tips it over
27′: A curled strike from Balogun which is off-target
30′: A high recovery from Montpellier and then a then strike from Adams is blocked by Camara
33′: Maripán stops a shot from Adams after a three-man game
34′: A long shot from Khazri which comes off Köhn’s crossbar
35′: Golovin cuts the ball back for Akliouche who misses the target
41′: Balogun thinks he has scored on the counter, but he is flagged offside
50′: Jakobs gets on the end of a pass from Golovin, but can’t find the target from a close angle
53′: Minamino’s shot is lacking power after a three-way buildup
60′: Golovin hits the post with a rasping strike
72′: A powerful shot from Jakobs is repelled by Lecomte
78′: Al-Tamari is fouled by Jakobs but was in an offside position
80′: Zakaria has a one-on-one against Lecomte but fails to score
84′: Ben Yedder’s shot is blocked
85′: Maripán has a chance with a header from Golovin’s corner
86′: Al-Tamari’s strike is deflected for a corner by Singo
92′: Savanier loses the ball and Ben Yedder takes advantage from close range (2-0)

📋 Match details:

Sunday, December 3 – Stade Louis-II

Ligue 1 – Matchday 14: AS Monaco 2-0 Montpellier HSC

Halftime: 1-0

Goals: Minamino (9′) and Ben Yedder (92′) for AS Monaco 

Bookings: Vanderson (20′), Golovin (75′) for AS Monaco; Savanier (45+1′) for Montpellier

Red cards: Kouyaté (69′)

AS Monaco: Köhn – Vanderson (Diatta, 81′), Singo, Maripán ©, Jakobs – Camara, Zakaria – Akliouche (Diop, 87′), Minamino, Golovin – Balogun (Ben Yedder, 73′)

Substitutes: Majecki, Matsima, Ouattara, Salisu, Diatta, Diop, Magassa, Ben Yedder, Efekele

Manager: Adi Hütter

Montpellier HSC: Lecomte – Sacko (Tchato, 61′), Kouyaté, Mincarelli (Jullien, 76′), Estève – Omeragic, Chotard – Al-Tamari, Savanier ©, Khazri (Fayad, 61′) – Adams (Yeboah, 76′)

Substitutes: Bertaud, Allix, Jullien, Tchato, Delaye, Fayad, Faye, Yeboah

Manager: Michel Der Zakarian