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Ligue 1 McDonald’s 15 February 2025, 22:01

Seven at home for AS Monaco against Nantes!

Seven at home for AS Monaco against Nantes!
Faced with a Nantes side that was quickly reduced to ten men, the Monegasques showed seriousness to deliver an attack festival at the Stade Louis-II (7-1), with Mika Biereth playing the lead role with another hat-trick.

Full of confidence before Benfica! Very quickly with a man advantage after the sending off of Nicolas Cozza (8′) and despite conceding an early opening goal, the players of AS Monaco impressed in an attacking festival against Nantes (7-1). Already with a hat-trick against Auxerre, Mika Biereth repeated the feat on the evening. Recap

The context 📅

On a series of two consecutive league wins against Rennes (3-2) and then Auxerre (4-2), AS Monaco’s players were aiming for a third straight win against Nantes to get back on the podium and prepare perfectly for the return leg against Benfica. But the team had to be careful because the reverse fixture had seen a lively 2-2 draw, at the beginning of January.

Entering these last games of the season, we were in the same situation last year, and we finished second in the table. In any case, that is the direction we want to go in and we believe in doing so. For that, we have to win against Nantes tomorrow.
Adi HütterIn the pre-match press conference

The XI 👥

To kick off this match, Adi Hütter lined his side up in a 4-2-3-1 with Mika Biereth leading the line on his own. He would be supported by a trio of Akliouche, Minamino and Ben Seghir. In midfield, Lamine Camara, back from injury, was in the starting line-up alongside Denis Zakaria. In defense, Caio Henrique and Christian Mawissa returned to the eleven, flanking Vanderson and Thilo Kehrer.

The scenario 🎞

From kick-off, our Monegasques had plenty of the ball but were surprised on the counter by Matthis Abline who first hit the post (3′), before then opening the scoring in the following minute (4′). Then quickly with a man advantage after a foul by Nicolas Cozza on Vanderson which saw the Nantes defender sent off (8′), the Rouge et Blanc pushed for the lead.

AS Monaco look for an equalizer

Anthony Lopes had to intervene twice in front of Eliesse Ben Seghir (14′) and Maghnes Akliouche (18′). However, our side would then have to watch out for the first Nantes scorer who tried to lob Radoslaw Majecki, without success (23′). Our AS Monaco number 11 had plenty of energy but his header from six meters went wide (33′), as did his left-footed shot (37′), after having beaten Nicolas Pallois and Saïdou Sow (37′).

Four goals in 11 minutes of play!

The perseverance of Adi Hütter’s men finally paid off before the break thanks to Mika Biereth, who popped up at the near post, to take finish a low cross by Takumi Minamino (44′). It was already his fifth goal in his new colours! But it wan’t over because from kick-off, the Japanese would score with a volley that the Nantes goalkeeper couldn’t keep out (45′). In the blink of an eye, AS Monaco had taken the lead into half-time.

The fifteen-minute break did not dampen the ardor of the Principality club and on another assist from Taki’, Eliesse Ben Seghir beat Anthony Lopes at the near post (49′) for the team’s third goal. The lead was doubled but it was not enough for them since Mika Biereth earned himself a double with outside of the boot finish from the penalty spot (54′).

Mika “hat-trick” Biereth

The Rouge et Blanc manager then took the opportunity to make a triple change as we noted the return to competition for George Ilenikhena (61′). But it was our number 14, Mika Biereth, who distinguished himself again by winning a penalty and converting it for his second hat-trick in five league matches.

George makes it six (and then seven), Coulibaly comes on

He even came close to scoring a fourth on a pass from Krépin Diatta, who had also come on after an hour, but his shot only flirted with the bar (77′). The sixth goal finally came four minutes later from Gerorge Ilenikhena with a diving header on a pass from Caio Henrique (81′). The party was in full swing at the Stade Louis-II and Mamadou Coulibaly took the opportunity to make his big return to competition after a serious knee injury (82′).

Full of confidence before facing Benfica

The striker who arrived this summer then came close to scoring twice but his left-footed shot was stopped by the opposing goalkeeper (85′). Irresistible, the Rouge et Blanc continued to push and Madou’s shot then flirted with Lopes’ post (93′). But it was finally George Ilenikhena who closed out this offensive festival near the end of added time (95′).

The referee whistled for the end of the match immediately after and AS Monaco had handily won against Nantes by the score of 7-1, preparing in the best possible way for the return leg against Benfica (Tuesday, 9 p.m.). They would also take advantage of this to temporarily seize third place before tomorrow’s matches. DAGHE MUNEGU!!! 🇲🇨

Key moments 🎥

3′ On the counter, Abline hits Majecki’s post
4′: A shot across goal from Abline opens the scoring (0-1)
8′: Cozza is sent off for a serious foul on Vanderson
14′: Lopes keeps out a deflected shot from Ben Seghir with his gloves
18′: Lopes taps away a deflection by Akliouche
23′: Abline tries to lob Majecki but the keeper is vigilant
33′: Played in by Caio Henrique, Akliouche heads wide
37′: Akliouche beats Pallois but fails to hit the target
44′: Biereth equalizes with a finish at the near post (1-1)
45′: Minamino volleys Monaco into the lead (2-1)
49′: Ben Seghir scores the third with a shot from a tight angle (3-1)
54′: Biereth scores a real striker’s goal to net a brace (4-1)
64′: Biereth has a hat trick after converting a penalty won by him (5-1)
78′ The Dane is close to a fourth but his shot only flirts with the bar
81′: Ilenikhena scores with a header following a cross from Caio Henrique (6-1)
85′: Ilenikhena comes up short against Lopes
94′: Coulibaly’s shot flirts with the Nantes post
95′: Ilenikhena gets his double with a left-footed shot across goal (7-1)

The stat 📊

Mika Biereth becomes the first player to score seven goals in his five appearances for AS Monaco in Ligue 1. He is also the second to achieve this in his first five league games in the 21st century after Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2012.

🗓️ Match details:

Saturday, February 15 (19:00) – Stade Louis-II

Ligue 1 McDonald’s – Matchday 22: AS Monaco 7-1 Nantes

Halftime: 2-1

Goals: Biereth (44, 54, 64′), Minamino (45′), Ben Seghir (49′), Ilenikhena (81′, 90 +5′) for AS Monaco; Abline (4′) for Nantes

Bookings: Zakaria (85′) for AS Monaco; Abline (45′) for Nantes

Dismissals: Cozza (8′) for Nantes

AS Monaco: Majecki – Vanderson (Diatta, 61′), Kehrer, Mawissa, C.Henrique – Zakaria © (Al-Musrati, 61′), Camara – Akliouche (Michal, 78′), Minamino (Ilenikhena, 61′), Ben Seghir – Biereth (Coulibaly, 82′)

Substitutes: Köhn, Salisu, Ouattara, Al-Musrati, Coulibaly, Diatta, Embolo, Ilenikhena, Michal

Manager: Adi Hütter

Nantes: Lopes – Amian, Pallois ©, Castelletto (Coco, 46′), Sow, Cozza – Chirivella © (Leroux, 87′),  Augusto (Guirassy, 67′), Lepenant – Abline (Mohamed, 67′), Simon (Elia, 67′)

Substitutes: Carlgren, Barbet, Coco, Leroux, Mollet, Thomas, Elia, Guirassy, Mohamed

Manager: Antoine Kombouaré

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