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Ligue 1 Uber Eats 02 April 2023, 20:46

Driven by its Academy, AS Monaco beats Strasbourg

Driven by its Academy, AS Monaco beats Strasbourg
Despite being behind at the break, thanks in particular to goals from Eliesse Ben Seghir and Edan Diop in the second half, our Rouge et Blanc notched a vital win against Racing (4-3) and to make the ideal beginning to the run-in.

The run-in is off to a great start! After a lively match full of goals (7 in total), AS Monaco won at the Stade Louis-II against Strasbourg. Behind at the break, the Rouge et Blanc were able to turn things around in the second half thanks to Eliesse Ben Seghir, Edan Diop and Youssouf Fofana and move back to within three points of the podium.

The context 📅

After the international break, AS Monaco were back in Ligue 1 action against Strasbourg at the Stade Louis-II. Winners in Ajaccio before the break (2-0), our Rouge et Blanc wanted to build on that win and move closer to Olympique de Marseille in third after they’d drawn against Montpellier (1-1) on Friday.

There are ten "finals" left and we will we have to play hard. The important thing is to succeed in putting forward our principles of play. There is a big difference with last season, especially from an accounting point of view since we have 13 more points than last season over the same period.
Philippe ClementAS Monaco manager

The eleven 👥

For this match, part of the 29th round in Ligue 1, Philippe Clement started almost the same winning side as he had in Corsica. The only change to note was the presence in the XI of Aleksandr Golovin, in place of the injured Breel Embolo. Vanderson therefore would play on the right side of an attack which also included Eliesse Ben Seghir and Wissam Ben Yedder.

The scenario 🎞

The start of the match was lively and the Monegasques immediately wanted to show their superiority. Wissam Ben Yedder was involved twice, first with a shot across goal captured by Matz Sels (5′), then with an attempt cleared off the line by Ismael Doukouré, having beaten the Strasbourg goalkeeper (13′).

Vanderson strikes first

This domination was finally rewarded a few minutes later by Vanderson. After a fine movement and a good pass by Eliesse Ben Seghir, the Brazilian beat the opposing goalkeeper with a shot from the right (19′). In doing so, he scored his first goal of the season, playing in a new position as a winger in this match.

The opener would wake up the Alsatians, though, as they created their first chance through Morgan Sanson but his shot from 30 meters was put behind for a corner by Alexander Nübel (31′). The AS Monaco number 16, however, can not do anything about a header by Lebo Mothiba on the corner kick (32′). Just thereafter, Strasbourg believed they had the lead through Habib Diallo but his goal was disallowed after consulting VAR. (36′).

Eliesse Ben Seghir is clinical

Luck was not with the Rouge et Blanc a few minutes later as Guillermo Maripán headed past Alexander Nübel (42′). Before the break, Philippe Clement’s men wanted to react and Vanderson managed to play in his captain who unfortunately was denied by Matz Sels (45 + 1′).

Undoubtedly not satisfied with the score at the break, Philippe Clement made a change with Edan Diop coming in on the right wing. It was a  coaching decision that soon paid off as his cross to the far post, poorly cleared by the Strasbourg defense, landed at the feet of Eliesse Ben Seghir. Having recently celebrated his 18th birthday, he took the opportunity to equalize with his right (54′).

The Academy changes the game

Affected by this goal, the Strasbourg players left a lot of space at the back and the Rouge et Blanc got stuck in on the counter. On one of these, Aleksandr Golovin cut inside before picking out Edan Diop on the right. Against Matz Sels, he did not hesitate and scored his first professional goal in his third match in Ligue 1 (58′).

And that wasn’t all as only eight minutes later, Youssouf Fofana broke into the Strasbourg half and tried his luck from the edge of the area. Slightly deflected, his shot surprised the Alsatian goalkeeper as he scored his second goal of the season in Ligue 1 after doing the same in Troyes in August (66′). This 12 minutes of madness allowed the Principality club to take over the match completely.

A hard-fought victory

Thanks to this two-goal lead, the result looked assured but Fofana would receive a second yellow card for a tough tackle. A man down, Philippe Clement’s side dropped deep in defense to weather the opponents’ attacks. Alexander Nübel, vigilant twice, notably captured attempts from range by Frédéric Guilbert (80′) and Ibrahima Sissoko (82′).

He was nevertheless powerless against Habib Diallo in added time (90 + 3′). This reduction in the score was, however, without consequence since AS Monaco manages to hold on for the three points. It was an important win which allows them to move back to within three points of Lens and Marseille, who are respectively second and third. The next match is Sunday in Nantes (5:05 p.m.)!

DAGHE LES GARS! 🇲🇨

Key moments 🎥

5′: Ben Yedder’s shot across goal is captured by Sels
13′: A ball is cleared off the line by Doukouré on an attempt by Ben Yedder
19′: Vanderson opens the scoring with a shot across goal! (1-0)
31′: A big save by Alex Nübel on a strike from Sanson from range
32′: Lebo Mothiba equalizes with a header from a corner (1-1)
36′: A goal is denied to Habib Diallo for offside
42′: Own goal by Guillermo Maripán (1-2)
45+1: Sels saves from of a powerful strike by Ben Yedder
54′: Equalizer by Eliesse Ben Seghir with a shot from the right (2-2)
58′: A speedy counter-attack is finished by Edan Diop (3-2)
66′: AS Monaco have a fourth goal from Youssouf Fofana with a shot from 20 meters (4-2)
78′: Fofana is sent off for a second yellow
90+3′: Habib Diallo scores to pull a goal back for the visitors (4-3)

The stat 📊

With goals from Eliesse Ben Seghir and Edan Diop in the second half, it’s the first time that two players aged under 20 at the time of the match have scored for AS Monaco in the same Ligue 1 game since September 20, 2015 against Lorient (a goal from Thomas Lemar and a goal from Almamy Touré). Young Guns! 👶

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Match details

Sunday, April 2 – Stade Louis-II

Ligue 1 –Matchday 29: AS Monaco 4-3 RC Strasbourg

Halftime: 1-2

Goals: Vanderson (19′), Ben Seghir (54′), Diop (58′), Fofana (66′) for AS Monaco; Mothiba (32′), Maripán (OG 42′), Diallo (90+3′) for Strasbourg

Bookings: Camara (40′), Fofana (45+3′), (78′) for AS Monaco; Diarra (53′) for Strasbourg

Dismissals: Fofana (78′) for AS Monaco

AS Monaco: Nübel – Aguilar, Disasi, Maripán, C. Henrique (Jakobs, 56′) – Fofana, Camara – Vanderson, Ben Seghir (Volland, 56′), Golovin (Matsima, 90+5′) – Ben Yedder © (Matazo, 80′)

Substitutes: Didillon, Jakobs, Matsima, Akliouche, Diop, Gelson Martins, Matazo, Minamino, Volland

Manager: Philippe Clement

RC Strasbourg: Sels © – Diarra, Doukouré, Nyamsi, Guilbert – Aholou (Sissoko, 70′), Bellegarde, Sanson, Delaine – Mothiba (Kandil, 70′), Diallo

Substitutes: Risser, Nuss, Perrin, Sobol, Kandil, Pric, Sissoko, Yuito, Jean

Manager: Frédéric Antonetti